


I Promise I'll Knock Next Time

by OctoberDecember



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Attempt at Humor, Awkward Crush, Closeted Alec Lightwood, Explicit Sexual Content, Humor, M/M, Secret Crush, Teen Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-05-08 02:08:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 60,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14684220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OctoberDecember/pseuds/OctoberDecember
Summary: Alec Lightwood is in the closet.No, like, he'sliterallyin the closet.Magnus Bane finds out Alec is gay, by stumbling across Alec in a janitor supply closet at Alicante High...The good news? Magnus has had a crush on Alec since the 9th grade, and Alec playing for The Other Team means that Magnus might just have a chance.The bad news? Alec isn't really ready to come out of the closet just yet, and as his relationship with Magnus quickly progresses from complete strangers to friends-with-benefits, it seems like Alec might not be ready to come out of the closetat all...Goddammit.♥ (Shadowhunters Normal-High-School AU with bits of canon sprinkled here and there) ♥





	1. I Promise I'll Knock Next Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...Magnus now stood in the parking lot all by himself.
> 
> Or at least he thought he was all by himself.
> 
> Magnus heard a faint whimper coming from behind a closed door...
> 
> The door was hidden behind an industrial sized trashcan, and Magnus figured it was probably the janitor's closet, filled with dirty mops and dirty buckets and....
> 
> ...Dirty secrets?
> 
> Goddammit, Magnus' curiosity was piqued.

Magnus Bane's books fell out of his locker for the umpteenth time. 

His best friend, Catarina, rolled her eyes as she picked up his history textbook, carefully stacking it back inside his locker. "What's your deal, Magnus? Why does the clock strike 3PM and you suddenly get butter-fingers?" 

"I don't have butter-fingers." Magnus' words were true enough, as he stared down at the end of his high school's hallway. He watched Alec Lightwood with his friends, watched how confidently Alec moved down the hall, watched how desperately people threw themselves at him, just trying to get even a teeny bit closer... 

Every day, archery practice let out at 2:55PM. 

And every day, Alec made his way through the school for the final time, headed for the parking lot. 

And every day, Magnus dropped his books at exactly 3PM, with Alec Lightwood somehow charming him from all the way across the room. 

It was embarrassing, and if Magnus could've stopped himself from looking, just today, just this once, he'd hoped that he could make it through the rest of the school year with his dignity intact. 

But who was Magnus kidding? His dignity had been long gone ever since Alec transferred to Alicante High in the 9th grade, and it didn't look like his dignity would be returning anytime soon. 

Magnus sighed, as he picked up the next-to-last book that came crashing down out of his locker. "Hey, are we still on for that movie tomorrow night?" 

"Yep! Just bring the popcorn and leave your playing cards at home." Catarina laughed, as she jokingly nudged Magnus in his arm. "I want you to actually watch the movie this time, not work on your magic tricks." 

Magnus scoffed in faux offense, as he casually reached behind Catarina's ear—

He pulled a Seven of Hearts out of nowhere, as he waved the card in front of her face. "Don't tell me you're not impressed." 

"I'm not impressed." Catarina tried to keep a straight face, as she folded her arms across her chest. 

Magnus raised an eyebrow, as he waved his palm over his face. When he held out his palm again, her one card had turned into two. Magnus did the same thing with his other hand, and he was soon holding four identical cards, nestling them between his fingertips. 

"Oh my God! Fine! I'm impressed!" Catarina burst out into a chuckle, as she yanked a card out of Magnus' grip. "Seriously, Magnus. How do you do that shit?" 

"Pffbt! Nice try, babe. Magicians never tell—" 

Magnus' words were interrupted by a stranger's hand casually placing the last book into Magnus' still open locker. 

"There you go." Alec smiled down at Magnus, before he roughly clapped Magnus on the shoulder. "See you around." 

Alec continued his descent down the hall, once again being swarmed by clinging friends and adoring fans. 

"Magnus, what the fuck? Magnus, what the fuck?!" Catarina's mouth hung open in surprise, as she gave Magnus a wild-eyed stare. 

"Catarina! Oh my God! Catarina!" Magnus returned her look of shock, as his eyes opened wider and wider. 

"Magnus!" 

"Catarina!" 

"Magnus, what the fuck!" 

"Oh my God, Catarina!" 

Magnus and Catarina proceeded to share in a squeal of excitement, before eventually calming themselves down. 

"Okay, we're obviously just being stupid." Catarina grinned, as she leaned against Magnus' locker, closing it shut. "But could you even imagine, Magnus? You and Alec Lightwood?" 

"Yes. I can also imagine being a zillionaire and riding a Cadillac on the surface of Mars." Magnus shrugged, as he deeply sighed. "There's no way in hell that Alec's anything like me." 

"You mean gay?" 

" _Half-gay_." Magnus smirked in response, as he tilted his head to the side. "Just because you hated Camille Belcourt doesn't mean she never existed. We dated for like half a year." 

"Uh, I didn't _forget_ about the demon-bitch from hell. It's just that talking about her super bums me out." Catarina blew out a raspberry, as her phone started to ring in her pocket. She answered it within seconds, with the conversation taking just as much time to quickly come to an end. 

"Hey, walk me to the parking lot? Ragnor wants to take me to that new frozen yogurt place." 

"You know he likes you, right?" Magnus gently linked his arm through Catarina's, walking them towards the building's exit doors. "Like, you understand that you've basically been dating him for two weeks?" 

"Shut up, Magnus! We're not dating! We're just hanging out!" 

"You're a liar, Catarina Loss! The lady doth protest too much!" 

"I seriously hate you, Magnus Bane! You're the worst thing that ever happened to me!" 

"I love you, too, Catarina." 

"I love you too, Magnus, so fucking much." 

Catarina and Magnus obnoxiously giggled their way out into the parking lot. 

************************ 

Magnus waved Catarina goodbye as she hopped into Ragnor's sweet, sweet ride. 

It was a Jeep Wrangler with the doors taken off, making it look like Ragnor was always the lead in some kind of never-ending action-adventure franchise. 

Typically, at least before two weeks ago, Catarina and Magnus would've hopped in the backseat together, happy to let the wind blow through their hair as Ragnor blasted death metal all along the highway—

But today, Magnus had decided to be a good friend to both Ragnor and Catarina, giving them their space. Magnus had politely turned down Ragnor's offer to join them at the frozen yogurt place, and Magnus now stood in the parking lot all by himself. 

Or at least he thought he was all by himself. 

Magnus heard a faint whimper coming from behind a closed door... 

The door was hidden behind an industrial sized trashcan, and Magnus figured it was probably the janitor's closet, filled with dirty mops and dirty buckets and.... 

...Dirty secrets? 

Goddammit, Magnus' curiosity was piqued. 

By now, every student at Alicante had long gone home. If anyone was left, it had to be someone who worked for the school. Maybe there was a substitute teacher crying behind that door. Maybe there was a teacher and a student trying to discreetly hook-up after hours. Maybe the janitor had finally snapped and was keeping someone bound and gagged right behind _that door_ , and Magnus was the only person in the entire world who could save them before it was too late—

Magnus shimmied and slid behind the trash can, as he imagined the future headline on the local news: 

_Magnus Bane, 18, Saves the World_

Okay, maybe it would've read something more like: 

_Magnus Bane, 18, Thought He Was Saving Someone's Life, Ended Up Being Attacked By a Feral Cat Instead_

But Magnus refused to turn back now, because at this point he'd already managed to maneuver between the strange, nearly impossible space—

As he opened the supply closet door— 

And saw Alec Lightwood sitting on the floor of the small room, currently in the middle of a spectacular orgasm. 

Alec's head leaned against the wall, as his hand was wrapped tightly around his—

Magnus managed to stop his eyes from trailing down to where they desperately wanted to go. 

Instead, Magnus drew his attention to the still glowing screen that rested in Alec's palm. 

Magnus could tell from where he was standing that the images on the screen were... 

Explicit. 

And he could distinctly hear the voices of two men, moaning and groaning, moaning and groaning... 

Magnus' brain finally put the pieces of the puzzle altogether. 

Alec Lightwood was in the closet. 

Like. 

_Literally in the closet_. 

Magnus soon heard the supply closet door close behind him with a soft thud—

And Alec's eyes suddenly flew wide open. 

"What the fuck? What the fuck?" Alec hastily pulled up his boxers, as he averted his eyes away from Magnus. "Were you fucking watching me?" 

"No. I..uh...I was just kind of in a heroic mood." Magnus shrugged, as he kept his own gaze anywhere but on Alec. "I thought I heard someone like in pain or something, so I opened the door. Sorry." 

"It's...Fuck! It's fine." Alec waved Magnus off, as he finished buckling his belt. "Just...Shit." 

"I promise I'll knock next time." Magnus awkwardly shifted on his heels—

Before he heard one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. 

Alec Lightwood was laughing. 

_And he was laughing at something that Magnus had said..._

"Well, at least it was you, right?" Alec deeply sighed, as he finally stood to his feet. "I don't think you'll tell anyone...'Cause you get it." 

"'Cause I get it?" Magnus' tone was lined with confusion, until he thought Alec's words over in his head for about five seconds longer—

"Oh my God. You think I'm gay." 

"Wait, shit. Are you not gay? It's just that you do magic tricks—" 

"First of all, asshole, doing magic isn't what makes me gay. Being gay is what makes me gay. And on top of that, I'm not even full gay! I'm _half-gay_ , which means I could be swimming in pussy tomorrow and taking dicks up the ass by the end of the week. I can take as many dicks as I want!" Magnus was absolutely fuming as he explained his bisexuality for what felt like the ten-thousandth time this year. 

"Okay, Magnus. I'm sorry. You're right. You can take as many dicks as you want." Alec slightly smirked over at Magnus—

And Magnus was instantly reminded of his years-long crush on Alec Lightwood, now taking the form of a billion butterflies gathering in Magnus' stomach. 

"But...um...yeah...I won't tell anyone..." Magnus struggled to gather his thoughts, as he nervously leaned against the supply closet door. "I think everyone deserves to have one little secret. Something they get to keep for themselves." 

"Yeah? What's yours?" 

"What?" 

"Magnus, what's your one little secret?" Alec crossed the tiny room until he was standing directly in front of Magnus. "Come on. You already know mine. It's only fair." 

_Alec, I once saw you licking your fingers after lunch in the cafeteria and it made me hyperventilate._

_One time, you were wearing these super tight, black jeans and you looked so hot in them that I literally fainted. I had to go to the nurse's office for two hours._

_I saw you spit bubblegum directly into our math teacher's trashcan and I wanted to kill myself just so I could come back in the next life as that same trashcan._

Magnus quickly shook away his thoughts, as he decided to tell Alec something that _didn't_ make him look like Alec's obsessive fanboy... 

_Even though Magnus totally was._

Instead, Magnus gently leaned down, as he carefully removed a contact lens from his eye. He shyly grinned as he looked back up at Alec. "Behold. My weird-as-hell eyes." 

Alec shook his head, as he moved his face closer to Magnus'. "What's wrong with your eyes? I don't get it." 

"Alec, they're super weird. They're like yellow-orange or something. Amber or whatever. They look so much worse in the sunlight." Magnus grimaced, as he quickly put his contact lens back in. "I'd rather have people think that my eyes are just basic-bitch-brown, thank you very much." 

"Oh...I didn't think they were that weird..." Alec smiled to himself, as he crossed his arms behind his back. "I like your eyes, Magnus." 

Magnus could nearly feel his heart escape his chest. "Thank...um...Thank you." 

"Alright. I'm gonna' head home. Got a lot of homework to do. Fucking trigonometry is kicking my ass. Again." Alec moved his hand over to the supply closet's doorknob, as he gave Magnus one last smile. "I'll see you around, Magnus." 

"I'll uh...I'll...see...you. Yes. I'll see you." Magnus nodded to himself, his brain barely able to form coherent thoughts, much less full-on sentences. "And your...uh...secret's safe with me." 

As Alec turned to leave, he hesitated—

Instead, he quickly turned back towards Magnus. "Hey, you should show me some of your magic tricks sometime." 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. I mean, if doing magic tricks doesn't automatically make you gay, I don't know why I've been avoiding them for so long. Shit seems cool as hell. Or maybe that's just 'cause you make it seem cool." Alec chuckled, as he waved Magnus off, now squeezing his way past the trash-can. 

_I'll show you a magic trick with my mouth, Alec Lightwood._

Magnus had to forcefully push a hand against his own mouth to prevent the words from flying right out. 

Once Alec was a safe distance away, Magnus let out a primal scream. 

Being so close to Alec had triggered every anxiety he had in his entire body. 

He whipped out his phone, ready to text Catarina with the amazing news that Alec Lightwood was indeed playing for The Other Team—

But Magnus stopped himself midway through the text message. 

He then deleted the message in full, as he looked around the tiny supply closet. 

_This_ was all Alec had. Well, besides his popularity, charisma, runway model looks, magazine model abs, endless invitations to all the cool parties and a perfect, perennial head of sexy bed-hair—

But this was still the only place that Alec could truly be himself. 

Magnus couldn't imagine how lonely it must've been for Alec...

Magnus had always been lucky to have his rag-tag group of misfits, his friends who understood him and accepted him, out and proud. 

In a moment of pure empathy, Magnus reached for one of his playing cards. He quickly scribbled his handwriting across the back of the card, in thick, black font: 

_**If You Ever Need To Talk** _

Magnus ended his message with his phone number, as he gently laid the playing card down where Alec had been previously seated. 

He loudly sighed once more before he left the room, realizing that he didn't just have _one_ secret to keep anymore. He was no longer solely worried about his golden eyes being revealed to the world—

He now had to keep Alec Lightwood's secret, too.


	2. Evebything Is Fbine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...You deserve to be happy, Alec. You...you deserve the world..." Magnus shook his head, as it felt like his body was slowly going into auto-pilot mode. "I just want you to be happy, okay?"
> 
> "Magnus, what are you—"
> 
> "I don't know, oh my God, I don't know—" Magnus' confusion radiated throughout every pore of his skin, as he was now resting on his knees in front of Alec's jeans. He fumbled with Alec's zipper, eventually sliding down the fabric—
> 
> Followed by Alec's boxers—
> 
> And soon followed by Magnus taking Alec into his mouth.

Magnus was playing with balls. 

White balls. 

He stood outside on Alicante High's quad, tossing them into the air, one after the other, waiting for them to come back down into his palm—

As soon as a ball would touch his hand, its color would go from white to blue. 

Magnus continued on like that, until all five balls in the air were now a bright, blue color. 

Magnus loudly hummed, as he threw all the balls back into the air at once—

When they landed in his waiting hands, this time, they were all colored a bright red. 

"Magnus, when you get your own magic show doing this shit, you better promise to get us front row seats every night." Catarina smiled as she walked up to Magnus— 

Magnus immediately noted that she was hand-in-hand with Ragnor Fell. 

Magnus frowned as he pointed to their locked hands. "I don't like this." Magnus subtly bent towards their hands, gently pulling their fingers apart. 

"Magnus, come on. You told me that you were okay with it." Ragnor deeply sighed, as he grabbed for Catarina's hand yet again. "I asked you like a billion times. _Do you like Catarina Loss as more than a friend?_ And each and every time, you'd just make this little gagging noise—" 

Magnus proceeded to make the little gagging noise, as he folded his arms across his stomach. 

"See, Magnus? You did that every time!" 

" _Well, excuse me_ for being sick at the thought of being intimate with a person I think of as family. Catarina might as well be _my sister_. I have a lot of kinks, Ragnor. Incest isn't one of them." 

"Ooh! Speaking of incest!" Catarina excitedly clasped her hands together, as she lightly poked Magnus with her shoulder. "Jace Herondale is back in town." 

Magnus shrugged, unfamiliar with the name. "Jace? Herondale?" 

"Oh my God, Magnus! You were the one who started the group text about it!" Catarina shook her head in disbelief, as she openly rolled her eyes. "Jace Herondale. The Lightwood's adopted brother, the one who's a freshman at college? He kissed his cousin last year? Remember? Clary Fairchild?" 

"Wait, I thought they figured out that they weren't blood cousins..." Ragnor's voice trailed off, as he thought back over the Alicante scandal. 

"Whatever, honestly it's super confusing and I could barely keep up with it." Catarina scoffed as she waved a hand away from her face. "The point is, incest boy is back in town. Which means that Magnus is about to go into a period of mourning. Jace means no archery practice for Alec, right? He always eats up all of Alec's free time with his visits." 

"You seem...happy...about my upcoming sadness...?" Magnus raised an eyebrow in Catarina's direction, before he quickly linked her and Ragnor's hands back together. "You know what, Ragnor? _You can have her._ " 

"Of course, I'm happy, Magnus! No Alec obsession means that you can focus on me for a change." 

"Ehh. That's not really Magnus' job anymore, baby." Ragnor softly kissed the side of Catarina's forehead. "I think I've taken over as head of that department." 

Catarina giggled after her boyfriend's words, and Magnus felt like throwing up his lunch. 

But Magnus was truly elated for his friends. And he was absolutely, positively over the moon about them finding love with each other... 

He was just so increasingly... 

Jealous. 

He knew he was being petty. He knew he was being irrational. It's not like Magnus couldn't have gotten a boyfriend or girlfriend if he really _wanted_ to. But after his goddamn run-in with goddamn perfect Alec Lightwood in that goddamn tiny closet—

Magnus really only wanted one person. 

But Alec was so very literally in the closet that there wasn’t a chance in hell that he would ever reciprocate Magnus' feelings...

As Magnus began down the spiral of feeling extremely sorry for himself, he felt his phone vibrate in his shirt pocket. He quickly opened the lock screen, his eyes scanning over a short string of text messages: 

_**Unknown:** hey _

_**Unknown:** I think I need to talk _

_**Unknown:** This is Alec btw _

"Magnus, are you okay? Did something happen at home?" Catarina's tone was lined with concern, as she watched nearly all the color flush out of Magnus' face. 

"I...have to go..." Magnus carefully placed his phone back in his pocket, as he nodded towards Catarina and Ragnor. "Uh, one of my groupmates for that stupid history project wants to meet up in the library." 

"Ugh. Figures. As soon as I think I have you back in my life, someone else swoops in and takes you right out!" Catarina dramatically pouted, before leaning forward to give Magnus a rather tight hug. "Oh, my love, my love. When will you come back to me?" 

"I am always with you, my love! The wind of my heart carries your name on the breeze!" Magnus perfectly matched Catarina's melodramatic tone, as they both burst out into a laugh. 

Catarina soon ended their embrace with a wink, as she giddily waved Magnus off. "Have fun. Don't get pregnant." 

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Magnus returned her wave, as he pretended as if he was heading for the library—

When he'd gotten enough feet away, Magnus took a sharp turn for the back of the building. 

***************** 

Magnus felt like he wanted to die. 

Fuck. 

Shit. 

God-fucking-dammit. 

Alec Lightwood wasn't wearing a shirt. 

Magnus' heart painfully thudded inside his chest, as his eyes moved from one of Alec's dark tattoos to another— 

And to another—

And to another—

"You're not wearing a shirt." Magnus' words came out stoic, as he kept his gaze focused on Alec's chest. 

"Yeah, man, sorry. I probably smell fucking awful, too. I had Gym my last period. Shirts vs. Skins. You know how it is." Alec shrugged, as he leaned back against the supply closet wall, moving his body further away from Magnus. "I'll try to save you from the stench." 

"Why do you have all those tattoos..." Magnus didn't even notice that he forgot to add a question mark to the end of his sentence, as his eyes caught on an intricate looking symbol that rested on Alec's lower abdomen. 

"Um, no reason, really." Alec loudly laughed, as he shrugged in response. "It's just a family thing? I guess? Started with our grandparents. My family has a whole book of these cool symbols at home. Is that super weird?" 

Magnus quietly pointed a finger at the symbol on Alec's abdomen. "What's that one mean?" 

"Yeah...that one..." Alec winced, as he blew out a heavy breath. "Fuck. That one's really fucking me up lately. That's why I wanted to talk to you, you know? I can't really...tell anyone else about it..." 

"You can tell me anything." Magnus' eyes rapidly blinked as he finally tore his attention away from Alec's body. Magnus leaned against the wall on the other side of the tiny room, definitely needing his space away from Alec... 

Before Magnus popped a vein. 

Or at least before Magnus popped a boner. 

Magnus discreetly let his hands rest over the crotch of his pants, just in case his body betrayed him.

"I...um...fuck. I...like Jace." Alec forced the phrase out of his mouth, as he ran a hand through his hair, still slick with sweat. "Ever since we got these stupid, matching tats...He's all I can think about..." 

"Oh! Well, is Jace...is he..." Magnus tilted his head from side to side, as he waited for Alec's answer. 

"Nope. Fucking _not at all_." Alec let out a wounded laugh, before placing his hands behind his back. "He pretty much only comes home to see Clary. I once caught them going at it in a restaurant bathroom." 

"Ah, so _really enjoying yourself_ in public is just a Lightwood thing, then." Magnus chuckled at his own joke, but soon noticed that Alec wasn't joining him in shared laughter. 

Alec wasn't even smiling. 

"It just really sucks. Being around him now...Fuck, I feel like even if he did like guys, he still wouldn't look my way twice...He just sees me as a brother." There was a pain punctuating every one of Alec's words, as he then offered Magnus an obviously fake smile. "And the only thing worse than the friendzone is the familyzone. Just. Fuck my entire life." 

"Hey. Look at me." Magnus didn't know exactly when it happened, but he'd somehow made his way across the supply room floor, now standing directly in front of Alec. "Jace Herondale doesn't want you? So, what? Fuck that guy! He's a cousin-kisser, anyway! You really wanna' go out with a guy who kisses his cousins?" 

Alec's fake smile turned into a genuine, wide grin, as his laugh made its way through his shoulders. "Maybe you're right." 

"Fuck yeah, I'm right! Besides, you deserve to be happy, Alec. You...you deserve the world..." Magnus shook his head, as it felt like his body was slowly going into auto-pilot mode. "I just want you to be happy, okay?" 

"Magnus, what are you—" 

"I don't know, oh my God, I don't know—" Magnus' confusion radiated throughout every pore of his skin, as he was now resting on his knees in front of Alec's jeans. He fumbled with Alec's zipper, eventually sliding down the fabric—

Followed by Alec's boxers—

And soon followed by Magnus taking Alec into his mouth. 

Alec didn't push Magnus away, so Magnus took it as a pretty good sign that Alec wanted him to go through with it. 

Or probably at least start it. 

But Magnus was frozen in place. 

With Alec's dick firmly in his mouth, it was like the rest of Magnus had stage fright. He'd wanted this for so, so long and now he was afraid that he was somehow going to fuck it all up. 

A few seconds later, Magnus felt Alec's hands in his hair, as Alec gently thrust himself between Magnus' lips. "Magnus...is this...Is this okay?" 

Magnus nodded in response, as he let Alec continue to do all the work, slowly pushing himself into Magnus' mouth, until he steadily picked up the pace, moving against Magnus' lips faster and faster and faster—

Until Alec was finished. 

Fuck. 

_Alec was finished_.

Magnus could feel Alec's _closing remarks_ on his tongue, as he casually helped Alec pull his boxers and jeans back up. 

"Magnus, are you okay?" Alec's words were soft, as he gently lifted Magnus to his feet. 

"Mmhmm." Magnus smiled as he stepped closer to the supply closet door. "Evebything is fbine. I'll tuuk to you leeter." 

As he left the tiny room, Magnus headed straight for the nearby trashcan. 

But before he could spit out Alec's _closing remarks_ , he thought about how perfect Alec looked today...How his gorgeous tattoos made his skin into a beautiful canvas...How sad Alec truly was about Jace Herondale not wanting him back... 

As Magnus thought about how much he _did want_ Alec Lightwood, he felt his tongue slide back and his throat quickly open and close. 

_Goddammit._

Magnus then looked down, observing the now obvious tent in his own pants. 

_Goddammit._

A few seconds later, Magnus felt his phone vibrate with a text from Catarina: 

_**Catarina:** Hey, Magnus! I swung by the library and you weren't there??? Are you still on campus? I forgot I left my science textbook in your locker, babe. I really need it back before tomorrow :(_

_**GODDAMMIT.**_

Magnus quickly turned back around, heading back into the supply closet. He pulled down his own pants and boxers, as he swiftly got to work on himself. "Please don't make this weird. I promise I won't like, think about you or anything. I just need to handle this..." 

Alec quietly watched Magnus stroke himself, before Alec softly licked a wide circle around his palm. His own hand soon replaced Magnus', as Magnus let out the most pathetic whimper he'd ever made in his entire life. 

It only took a few strokes of Alec's hand before Magnus' own _closing remarks_ landed squarely across Alec's knuckles and coated Alec's wrist with wet string. Alec hummed quietly, as he began to lick the wetness off his wrist—

"I have to go." Magnus blurted out the words, as he nearly ran out of the supply closet. "I love you. Bye." 

Magnus kept his focus on getting that book to Catarina, as he rummaged through his backpack and his locker, desperately looking for its title—

And once he found it, he slammed his locker door shut with enthusiasm, hastily texting Catarina that he was now headed back to the library after "meeting with one of his teachers." 

It wasn't until Magnus was already walking through the doors of the library that he realized what his last words to Alec were... 

And by then it was too late to _scream_.


	3. You Taste Like Cinnamon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus happily stuffed his face with veggie pizza, as Catarina took sultry selfies on her phone and Ragnor tinkered with some antique watch he'd bought at a garage sale. Magnus glanced around the room again, and deeply sighed with relief. 
> 
> Still no sign of Alec Lightwood. 
> 
> Maybe Magnus didn't have to die of embarrassment today. 
> 
> Maybe... 
> 
> Maybe today was going to be okay... 
> 
> Magnus felt his phone lightly vibrating beside him, and he casually browsed through his messages: 
> 
> _**Unknown:**_ You taste like cinnamon... 
> 
> _**Unknown:**_ Do I taste good, too?

Magnus sat in Alicante High's cafeteria, as he gracelessly shoved baby carrots into his waiting mouth. His eyes were focused on the history textbook in front of him, as he skimmed and scanned information about various, lengthy wars. He reached down for another carrot—

Only to find his hand meeting nothing but air. 

He looked up to see Catarina with a wide grin, now holding his lunch in her hands. "Come on, Magnus! You're eating rabbit food? Really? It's pizza day, babe." 

"Please don't make me eat Alicante's pizza, Catarina, you know it tastes like barf." Magnus whined as he reached for his bag of carrots, but Catarina chuckled as she moved them behind her back. 

"First of all, fuck no. I would never eat the pizza here. Shit tastes like tires." Catarina grimaced, as she took a few steps away from Magnus' table. "Ragnor and I are going off-campus for lunch. He's waiting for us in the parking lot." 

Magnus stood away from the table, as he grabbed onto his textbook. "Okay, but it better be somewhere good." 

"Yeah, Magnus, we all know about how high your standards are for what you put in your body." Catarina playfully rolled her eyes, as she took Magnus' hand into her own, heading for the school's parking lot. "We're gonna' hit up the Idris Café." 

Magnus' heart began to wildly race in his chest...

_Idris Café?_

_But that's where all the popular kids liked to eat, too..._

_What if Alec Lightwood is eating lunch at the Idris Café?_

_What if Alec Lightwood is eating lunch at the Idris Café and then he sees Magnus walk in?_

_What if Alec Lightwood is eating lunch at the Idris Café and then he sees Magnus walk in and then Magnus faints in public?_

_What if Alec Lightwood is eating lunch at the Idris Café and then he sees Magnus walk in and then Magnus faints in public but then somebody waits just a little too long to call a doctor and it turns out that Magnus has been dead on the floor for several minutes—_

"Magnus!" Catarina waves Magnus over towards Ragnor's jeep. "Stop being such a space cadet. We gotta' leave _right now_. Pizza waits for no man!" 

Magnus faked a bright smile as he climbed into Ragnor's familiar backseat. 

*************************** 

Magnus happily stuffed his face with veggie pizza, as Catarina took sultry selfies on her phone and Ragnor tinkered with some antique watch he'd bought at a garage sale. Magnus glanced around the room again, and deeply sighed with relief. 

Still no sign of Alec Lightwood. 

Maybe Magnus didn't have to die of embarrassment today. 

Maybe... 

Maybe today was going to be okay... 

Magnus felt his phone lightly vibrating beside him, and he casually browsed through his messages: 

_**Unknown:**_ You taste like cinnamon... 

_**Unknown:**_ Do I taste good, too? 

Magnus' phone slipped out of his hands and landed directly on the café's floor. Catarina, being the ever-helpful best friend, nonchalantly picked up Magnus' phone, preparing to hand it back to him—

Until her eyes read over the messages on its still glowing screen. 

"Magnus, what the fuck?" Catarina's mouth hung open in shock. She bent down towards Magnus, now keeping her voice at a whisper. "Oh my God. Are you fucking someone?" 

"I'm not fucking anyone! I swear to God!" Magnus shook his head as he took his phone back into his lap. 

"Are you seriously lying to me right now?" Catarina scoffed, as she leaned in even closer. "Is that what we do now? We _lie_ to each other?" 

"Hey! You lied to me in the 1st grade when you told me that you were all out of purple crayons! But you weren't, Catarina! I saw them in your locker! I SAW THEM ALL!" 

"Oh? So, you wanna' go there, babe? Then let's go there, babe! Remember when I had a crush on William T. in the 8th grade and you had a crush on William T. too and you told me that I should just _let you have him_ because you're better with your eyeliner?" 

"I _am_ better with my eyeliner!" 

"That doesn't mean anything, Magnus! It never meant anything! I just let you have him because I wanted you to be happy!" Catarina finally leaned away from Magnus, letting out a deep sigh as she settled into her seat. 

Magnus briefly wondered if this was going to be the straw that broke the camel's back, the stupid fight that somehow ended their lifetime of friendship... 

And his stomach turned at the thought of being out of Catarina's life. 

"I blew a guy..." Magnus kept his voice low, as he took another bite out of his pizza. 

"What?" Catarina turned to face him, as she folded her hands in her lap. 

"I blew a guy! I blew a guy!" Magnus emphatically waved his hands through the air, before he brought his arms towards his chest. 

A complete stranger across the café offered Magnus two thumbs up. 

Magnus sunk deeper and deeper into his seat. 

"Wait, do we know him? Does he go here?" Catarina's eyes lit up with curiosity, as she stared over at Magnus. 

Magnus didn't answer her, instead choosing to stay completely still. He never wanted to lie to Catarina, but if she insisted on asking him these kind of questions, there'd be no other way around it... 

"Fine. Whatever, Mr. Secretive. Is he at least a nice guy? Do you really like him?" 

Before Magnus could get out his response, Alec Lightwood walked through the doors of the Idris Café. Right by his side stood Lydia Branwell, who was currently wearing a pink-and-white archery uniform that perfectly hugged her every last curve. She was openly flirting with Alec, as she whipped her long, blonde ponytail to the side. 

Alec beamed back over at Lydia, as he ran a hand through his hair, nodding with enthusiasm after her every word... 

"Actually...I don't really know if we'll ever be seeing each other again..." Magnus averted his eyes away from Alec and Lydia, as he returned to the last bite of his pizza. "But I guess it was fun? At least while it lasted." 

"Noooo, Magnus, don't be sadddd." Catarina whined, as she shoved her phone screen in front of Magnus' face. "Here. Look at cats." 

Magnus' face immediately brightened, as he giddily scrolled through a zillion cat pictures during the rest of their lunch period. 

*************************** 

Magnus and Alec were seeing each other again. 

They were sitting side by side in their cramped supply closet, as Alec stared over at Magnus. "So..." 

"So?" 

"You never replied, Magnus...Do I taste good, too?" Alec asked his question again, as he let out a small chuckle under his breath. "Sorry if that's a super weird question. I've just never had anyone...um...do...that..." 

"Oh, you should've asked Lydia. She would've done it, like, immediately." Magnus couldn't keep the acid from seeping into his tone, despite his best efforts. "You two look super cute together, by the way. Is she your girlfriend now?" 

Alec chuckled yet again, as he gently nudged Magnus in the shoulder. "I could ask you the same about Catarina." 

Magnus covered his mouth with his hand, as if he was about to vomit. "Please never say anything like that ever again." 

"Wait, what's wrong with Catarina? I think she's pretty hot." Alec shrugged, as he tapped his fingers against his thighs. "And, for your information, Lydia's just a good friend." 

"Yeah, but she wants to be more." 

"And? Why do you care if she wants to be more than my friend?" Alec stopped his tapping fingers, as he quietly rested his palms. 

"Oh. You're really going to make me say it, huh?" Magnus nervously laughed, as he thought about the fastest, most painless way to immediately end his life. 

If he was dead, he wouldn't have to tell Alec Lightwood how he felt. 

But was death _really_ a rational alternative to being honest with Alec about his feelings? 

… 

_Yes._

Yes, it was. 

But since Magnus couldn't figure out a way to painlessly kill himself with a suspiciously dry mop, he instead opted into painful, **painful** honesty. "I...like you." 

"You like me? Weird. I thought you _loved_ me." Alec smirked—

And Magnus quietly began to reach for the mop—

Before Magnus felt Alec pulling at his waist, until he was directly seated in Alec's lap. The two of them now sat face to face, as Magnus straddled Alec's hips. 

"Take out your contacts." Alec whispered up at Magnus, as he slightly shifted underneath him. 

Magnus wordlessly obeyed, as he set the now loose contacts away in his case. "Okay, but if my eyes freak you out, don't say I didn't warn you—" 

Magnus felt Alec tightly grip onto his waist, as Alec pushed himself upward, over and over and over—

It was almost like they were— 

Magnus quietly gasped, before gently biting into Alec's shoulder, desperately trying to keep himself from making any more noise. 

A few more thrusts from Alec, and Magnus was officially, uncomfortably hard. "Wait...Give me a sec..." 

Magnus hastily moved away from Alec, as he slipped off his pants, his neon green boxers becoming the brightest point in the room. 

Alec followed Magnus' lead, slipping off his own pants as well, and leaving on his classic white boxers. 

Magnus swiftly returned to his previous position in Alec's lap, letting out a long whimper as Alec began to thrust upward once more. 

"How did I taste, Magnus?" Alec steadily increased his pace, as he waited on Magnus' response. "You still haven't answered the question." 

"You'rethebestthingI'veevertastedinmyentirefuckinglife." Magnus' words came out all at once, his head being way too dizzy to concentrate on proper sentence structure. 

"Fuck, Magnus. You're so pretty." Alec pulled Magnus in closer, as he pressed his mouth against Magnus' neck, forcefully sucking and biting down. 

"Alec, I'm probably going to...um..." Magnus tried to slow down his breathing just enough to warn Alec about the rising tide in Magnus' boxers. 

"Good." Alec responded with a wide grin, as he sped up his pace just a bit faster— 

Just enough for Magnus to lose all control. 

Once the magic moment was over, thoughts immediately flooded Magnus' mind: 

_Fuck!_

_He just bought these fucking boxers._

_How many times was he going to have to wash these fucking boxers to get this stain out?_

_There had to be an online tutorial for shit like this—_

Magnus soon felt Alec twitching underneath him, and Magnus could now feel a second wet spot on his boxers, courtesy of the boy below him. 

_**Fuck!** _

_Now, Magnus' boxers were completely covered in this..._

_He wasn't going to be able to wash this out._

_He was gonna' have to throw his boxers in the goddamn trash._

_Where the hell was he going to find another pair like this?_

_Where the hell did he buy these in the first place?_

"Maybe next time we could try...without...the boxers..." Alec's voice post-orgasm sounded absolutely angelic, and it sent pleasurable shivers down Magnus' spine. 

"Alec, you haven't even kissed me yet." Magnus smirked, as he rested his hands against Alec's shoulders. 

"Fuck, you're right. I'm sorry. Come here—" 

"Gross. I'm not having my first kiss with you inside the janitor's supply closet." Magnus moved his face away from Alec's, as he quickly shook his head. "That's not how I pictured it at all." 

"Okay...How did you picture it then?" 

"It's New Year's Eve in Brussels. The clock is about to strike midnight. We've both come to dine and dance the night away with the European socialites of our time, but we can't seem to take our eyes off each other, or off our perfectly aged wine—" 

"We should go see a movie or something." Alec interrupted Magnus' daydream, as he ran his hand alongside Magnus' waist. "Do you like scary movies?" 

"That sounds perfect." Magnus smiled, before gently kissing Alec on the forehead. "Okay...um...I should probably go..." 

"Yeah, me too." 

Magnus and Alec both nodded in unison... 

As neither one of them moved from the spot, instead spending the next two hours talking about their respective day at school, what they had in common, what they didn't have in common, their personal beliefs about astrology, their personal beliefs about astronomy... 

And every so often, just when the conversation quietly died down, they would longingly stare into each other's eyes.


	4. Heavy Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **_Unknown_** : Can't wait for tomorrow... 
> 
> **_Unknown_** : Jace wants to go out tonight. Talk to you later. 
> 
> **_Unknown_** : Stayed out pretty late. Fuck. He got drunk again. 
> 
> **_Unknown_** : He asked me if I like Clary. Told him the truth. 
> 
> That was the last message still lingering on Magnus' phone. 
> 
> It was the kind of message that made Magnus wonder if Alec was even going to show up for their date tonight... 
> 
> And it was all because Alec may have finally _told Jace the truth_. 
> 
> Because Alec may have finally told Jace how he really felt...
> 
> And what if Jace felt the exact same way as Alec?
> 
> What if they were somewhere together right this very minute, strolling along some beach and holding hands— 
> 
> What if Alec had forgotten all about his little movie date with Magnus Bane? 
> 
> Magnus could soon feel the familiar sting of tears forming behind his eyes... 
> 
> "Are you sad 'cause you hate cats?" A stranger's voice broke through Magnus' depressing thoughts.

Magnus was leaning against a wall inside the movie theater, as he worked his fingers through rather complicated plastic. 

He swore a few times under his breath, as he continued to struggle with the material. "Fuck...Just...Fuck! Hold on! Fuck!" 

"Dude. Why are you even doing this?" Ragnor deeply sighed, as he watched Magnus' now sweating face. "You should've kept practicing." 

"I'm...almost..." Magnus took a final gasp of air, as he held out his creation for Ragnor to see. "Done! I'm done! I did it!" 

Ragnor looked down at the bright orange balloon animal in Magnus' hands— 

Although, Ragnor couldn't quite tell what animal it was supposed to be...

"Is it...a rabbit...or like...an elephant...Or?" Ragnor offered his suggestions, as he took the balloon animal into his own palms. "Magnus, I gotta' be honest with you. This is pretty fucking awful." 

"Whatever, Ragnor! If it's so easy then you should try it—" 

Before Magnus could even finish his sentence, Ragnor had already reshaped the balloon animal into the form of a tiny kitten. 

Ragnor quietly meowed, as he handed the balloon back to Magnus. 

"How the hell?" Magnus scoffed at Ragnor's creation, as he shook his head in disbelief. 

"Honestly, it's not that hard. I think you're just nervous about your d-a-t-e." Ragnor grinned, before he playfully patted Magnus on the back. "I should probably head out, anyway, before your _mystery man_ makes an anonymous appearance." 

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the ride, Ragnor." Magnus threw a smile over at Ragnor, before he waved him off. "Also, I'm coming over to your house after this. You need to show me how you did this." 

"Uh, Magnus? Catarina's coming over later. Maybe you could come over tomorrow—" 

"I NEED TO KNOW YOUR SECRETS!" Magnus' voice was extremely loud, as he emphatically shook the balloon in front of his own face. "How, Ragnor?! How?!" 

Ragnor openly rolled his eyes, before he headed for the exit doors with a wide smirk. "I'll see you _tomorrow_ , Magnus." 

Magnus pouted, as he folded his arms against his chest. A minute or so later, he pulled out his phone, wanting to scroll through the screen for any new messages— 

But he hadn't gotten a new message since last night: 

**_Unknown_** : Can't wait for tomorrow... 

**_Unknown_** : Jace wants to go out tonight. Talk to you later. 

**_Unknown_** : Stayed out pretty late. Fuck. He got drunk again. 

**_Unknown_** : He asked me if I like Clary. Told him the truth. 

That was the last message still lingering on Magnus' phone. 

It was the kind of message that made Magnus wonder if Alec was even going to show up for their date tonight... 

And it was all because Alec may have finally _told Jace the truth_. 

Because Alec may have finally told Jace how he really felt...

And what if Jace felt the exact same way as Alec?

What if they were somewhere together right this very minute, strolling along some beach and holding hands— 

What if Alec had forgotten all about his little movie date with Magnus Bane? 

Magnus could soon feel the familiar sting of tears forming behind his eyes... 

"Are you sad 'cause you hate cats?" A stranger's voice broke through Magnus' depressing thoughts. 

"What?" Magnus turned to face the stranger, as he slightly readjusted his stance on the wall. 

"You're holding a cat...and you look like you're about to cry." The stranger took another step towards Magnus, as a smirk spread across the stranger's face. "Sorry. I was just trying to jump to a logical conclusion." 

"I don't hate cats...I love cats..." Magnus began to use his index finger to wipe away the tears in the corner of his eyes— 

Before the stranger offered Magnus a perfectly folded napkin. "Here." 

"Thank you...um..." Magnus dabbed at his eyes, as he looked the stranger up and down. The guy couldn't have been more than 18 or 19, with a perfect shade of blonde hair. "Do I know you?" 

"You don't come to our archery tournaments, do you?" The stranger laughed, as he tilted his head to the side. "Or maybe you do. You're probably just blinded by Alec Lightwood's talent like everybody else is. A lot of people think he's the only one on the team..." 

The stranger deeply sighed, as he held out his hand for Magnus. "I'm Underhill." 

Magnus quietly reached for Underhill's hand, lightly giving it a tentative shake. "I'm Magnus B—" 

"I know who you are, Magnus Bane." Underhill brightly smiled, as he took a step closer to Magnus. "And you look great today, by the way." 

Magnus' brain began to short-circuit, as he quickly pulled his palm out of their shared handshake. 

_Was Underhill seriously flirting with him right now?_

_Why the hell was Underhill flirting with him right now?_

_Who the hell was Underhill anyway?_

_**And why the fuck didn't Underhill have a goddamn first name?** _

"Oh, sorry, if that made you uncomfortable, Magnus. I was just trying to say—" 

"Sorry! I'm married!" Magnus blurted out the words, before he literally ran away from Underhill, his platform boots loudly banging through the food court. 

********************** 

Magnus sat in the very back of the movie theater, noisily eating out of a large bucket of popcorn. 

He was waiting for some gory horror flick to start playing on the screen in front of him. 

Magnus figured that the movie must've come out weeks ago, seeing as the theater around him was currently completely empty. 

He'd halfway shoved yet another fistful of popcorn into his mouth, when he spotted Alec making his way up the theater's dark steps. 

Alec smiled when he saw Magnus, and he happily took his seat beside him. "Hey, Magnus. Sorry I'm late." 

Alec casually reached for Magnus' bucket of popcorn—

And Magnus hastily moved it away from Alec's fingers. "Popcorn is for people who show up on time." 

"I already said I'm sorry." Alec groaned, as he bent to gently kiss Magnus on the cheek. "Don't be mad at me. Jace had a pretty bad hangover. I just wanted to make sure that he was doing okay." 

"Well, I hope Jace is _doing okay_." Magnus' words were dripping with sarcasm, as he scoffed underneath his breath. "Thanks for not forgetting about me, I guess." 

"Magnus, stop. You know Jace is important to me—" 

"What did you mean when you said that you told him the truth?" Magnus pushed more popcorn into his mouth, as he chewed through the rest of his sentence. "Does he know how you feel about him now? Does he...feel the same way that you do?" 

"What? What are you talking about?" Alec's voice got quiet... 

Before he suddenly nodded his head in understanding. "Oh! Right. My text. I think you misunderstood me, though. I meant that I told him the truth about whether or not I like Clary as his girlfriend." Alec smirked, this time successfully scooping out a handful of popcorn. "I told him that I think they both cause a lot of drama in each other's lives...but I think in the end, it might be worth it? Maybe?" 

Alec shrugged, as proceeded to lick the popcorn's butter from his fingers— 

And Magnus was immediately hit with vivid flashbacks of Alec licking _him_ off his fingers, too. 

Magnus quietly groaned, as his body shivered with pleasure. 

"Are you okay?" Alec's question was lined with concern, as he stared over at Magnus. 

"Underhill tried to flirt with me in the lobby." Magnus desperately tried to pivot the topic of conversation, not wanting to talk about his _growing problem_. "What's his first name, by the way? Or is this one of those situations where his first name is Underhill, too? Do you guys just call him Underhill Underhill? And does his middle name start with a U? So his full name is just Underhill U. Underhill—" 

"What the fuck? Underhill tried to flirt with you?" 

"I honestly feel like I asked a pretty important question there, Alec. Is that guy's name Underhill U. Underhill? Because that is both tragic _and_ hilarious—" 

Magnus' words were cut off by a forceful, invasive kiss from Alec— 

And Magnus readily returned Alec's kiss, with just as much power. 

When the kiss was broken off, Alec looked down at Magnus with a blank expression. "Sorry. Fuck. Sorry. I know that was our first kiss. I ruined it, didn't I? I know you wanted it to be something special...Fuck, I just get so—" 

"Possessive?" Magnus offered the word to Alec, and it caused Alec to snort with a laugh. 

"No. I'm not possessive. I know I don't control your life." Alec shrugged, before taking in a shallow breath. "I just...want to be the only guy who gets to flirt with you...And honestly, Underhill's way hotter than me, so I can totally see you wanting to be with him instead—" 

"There's no one hotter than you, Alec Lightwood." Magnus slightly chuckled, as he leaned his head against Alec's shoulder. "You are, without question, the hottest person in the universe." 

"Yeah, whatever. I'm also the hungriest person in the universe—" Alec swiftly grabbed the popcorn bucket out of Magnus' lap— 

And Magnus instinctively moved his hands over the crotch of his own pants. 

Magnus closed his eyes in agony once he'd realized his mistake—

Once he'd realized that he'd drawn Alec's attention to the one place he _really didn't_ want him to look.

Alec, of course, looked down with curiosity— 

He then smiled up at Magnus, as he sat their popcorn bucket down in the empty seat beside them. "Well, I did say that I was the _hungriest_ person in the universe. " 

Magnus whimpered as the embarrassment coursed through his veins. "Alec—" 

"Hey, it's okay." Alec bent his head down even further, as he calmly pushed down Magnus' skinny jeans. "I can make this all go away..." 

Magnus groaned, as he felt Alec's lips wrapping around him. 

Alec's pace was painfully slow at first, causing Magnus to let out several small whines, each one a little bit louder than the last. 

"Shh. We're in a movie." Alec whispered his words, before he put his focus right back on his previous task, now sliding his lips up and down Magnus' length. 

Magnus was forced to put a few of his fingers in his mouth, as he tried to lessen the sounds of his own moans. 

"Why do you taste so good, Magnus?" Alec kept his question low, as he temporarily took his mouth away from Magnus, choosing to now firmly stroke him with his hand. 

"I don't know...I don't know...I don't know..." Magnus felt like he was melting straight into his seat— 

Before Magnus spotted a few people coming through the theater's doors. They were loudly laughing, as they shuffled into prime center seats, only seated a few rows down from Alec and Magnus. 

"Alec—" 

"I know, I know. Just be really quiet during this next part and you'll be fine." Alec brought his mouth back to Magnus, sliding Magnus in and out, faster and faster and faster— 

Causing Magnus to let out a blood-curling scream, as his hips twitched up towards Alec's mouth, his body finally reaching the breaking point. 

"Shut the fuck up, asshole! The movie hasn't even started yet!" 

"Yeah, bro! If you're this freaked out by the previews, you should go watch something else!" 

"See? This is why I just wait for shit to come out on Netflix! People like you fucking ruin everything!" 

As the group of movie-goers finished their heckling, Alec delicately pulled Magnus' jeans back up towards his waist. Alec then tenderly kissed Magnus' lips, before letting out a small chuckle. 

"Magnus Bane, you were not very quiet at all." 

"Oh my God...I'm going to fucking die...Oh my God..." Magnus' words trailed off, as he leaned further into his seat. "Why would you even..." 

"Dunno. Just made me feel better. Underhill can flirt with you all he wants, but I'm the only one who gets to do _that_ with you." Alec smiled, before his eyes suddenly went wide. "Wait. Magnus. I'm the only one doing that with you, right?" 

Magnus quietly nodded. "Yes, Alec, you are the only person who keeps giving me increasingly public orgasms." 

"Good." Alec gingerly kissed Magnus' cheek, before he grabbed their popcorn bucket and sat it back in Magnus' lap. "Okay, make sure you pay attention in the first five minutes. Later on, they'll say that the killer was originally at the bar with the blonde girl, but if you look around the bar in the opening shot, there's not one blonde in the whole place—" 

Magnus lost his focus on Alec's sentences, as his rib cage filled with something heavier than butterflies... 

_Moths?_

_Ladybugs?_

_Cockroaches?_

Magnus wasn't familiar with this feeling at all, but he suddenly wanted to hold Alec's hand—

And just... 

Keep holding it... 

At least for a solid month or two.... 

Instead, Magnus compromised by holding onto Alec's hand during the entirety of the film. Every so often, Alec would gently squeeze Magnus' hand in return, and that just made the suddenly-heavy-butterflies weigh down Magnus' rib cage even more. 

When the movie was over, Alec softly pulled his hand away from Magnus', before quickly turning to give Magnus a gentle, goodbye kiss, and then silently heading off solo to the parking lot... 

Because Alec thought that it would be easier if no one saw them leave together. 

Because Alec Lightwood was still buried so deep in that goddamn, awful closet. 

And, while sitting all alone in the darkened theater, Magnus could feel the familiar sting of tears forming behind his eyes...

For the second time that night.


	5. How You Make Me Feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "New couple alert! New couple alert!" Catarina enthusiastically nodded towards the right side of the cafeteria, and Magnus curiously followed her nod with his eyes. 
> 
> The popular kids' table looked basically the same as it always did, with random students fawning over the-lucky-chosen, desperately trying to get invited to parties and earn their seat beside Alicante High's royalty— 
> 
> Except there was _one_ noticeable difference. 
> 
> Today, Lydia Branwell—
> 
> Prim and perfect Lydia Branwell— 
> 
> Was coolly sitting in Alec Lightwood's lap.

Magnus and Catarina were standing in front of their lockers, as they seamlessly rearranged their textbooks and binders. Magnus handed Catarina a neon pink stapler, and she handed him back a green calculator in return. 

"Hey, do you have those notes from the lab?" 

"You know I don't take notes in lab anymore, Magnus. Honestly, I can barely stay awake." 

"Is Ragnor seriously that good in bed? Is he legitimately keeping you up all night?" 

"Wouldn't you like to know, Bane? Wouldn't you like to know?" Catarina yawned after her sentence, as she reached for her phone. "I swear, Ragnor Fell's mouth is the world's best kept secret." 

Magnus' expression soured as he desperately tried to think about something else—

_Anything else_ —

He didn't want to imagine Ragnor's mouth on Catarina...

He didn't want to imagine Catarina's mouth on Ragnor...

And Magnus quietly whined when he struggled to get the nightmarish visions out of his head. 

"Oh my God, your friends are having sex! Get over it!" Catarina laughed when she noticed Magnus' expression. 

" _No._ My brother and sister are having sex, and they're talking to me about it." Magnus frowned again. 

"Magnus, you were the one who asked if Ragnor was good in bed!" 

"Just because I asked you a question, doesn't mean you need to answer it!" 

Catarina burst into a loud chuckle, as she firmly shook her head in disbelief. She then opened one of her notebooks, and quietly flipped through its pages— 

And that's when Magnus noticed that her fingernails were freshly painted. They were a sharp indigo color that perfectly matched her brown skin. "Hey, Catarina, when'd you get your nails done? Did you buy one of those at-home kits or something?" 

"Oh...no...I...uh..." Catarina slightly grimaced, as she moved her hands behind her back. "I went to our usual place." 

"You went to our usual place _without me_?" Magnus' jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "What the hell?" 

"Hey! You were busy, remember? You were getting ready for that _mystery date_ with your _mystery man_." Catarina lightly giggled, as she playfully nudged Magnus in his shoulder. "You can't be mad at me, anyway. You were the one who told me that walking around with a chipped manicure is a sin." 

"Okay, I don't remember saying that, but that does sound like something I would say..." Magnus squinted, as he suspiciously eyed Catarina. "Whatever. Just call me next time." 

"Will do." Catarina grinned, as she continued to flip through her notebook. 

"I'm serious, babe. You go to _our place_ without me again and I'll sue you." 

"And just what would you be suing me for, Magnus?" 

"For murder." 

"Murder? Magnus how would it be murder—" 

"Because you're _stabbing me in the back_! That's how!" 

Catarina scoffed and started to say something— 

But instead her eyes went wide. 

Magnus turned around, wanting to see what she was looking at—

And his eyes caught on Underhill, who was only standing a few inches away from Magnus. 

Underhill offered Magnus a bright smile, as he leaned against a nearby locker. "Hey." 

"Hey..." Magnus' voice trailed off, before he loudly coughed and caught himself. "Sorry, it's just, uh, your type doesn't really interact with us little people too often. It's kinda' like meeting a celebrity. Isn't that right, Catarina—" 

Magnus turned back towards Catarina— 

But she'd already moved down the hallway. 

She mouthed the words _good luck_ to Magnus as she proceeded to blow him a kiss— 

And soon disappeared behind a classroom door. 

Magnus knew that Catarina basically had a sixth sense for figuring out if someone was into Magnus— 

The problem was that she could never quite tell if Magnus was also into _them_. 

So, she would often just leave the area, giving Magnus a chance to either casually flirt or casually make a run for it. 

As Underhill smiled down at Magnus again, Magnus began to stretch his legs, getting ready for the dash of a lifetime. 

"You're not married." 

"What?" 

"At the movie theater? You told me that you were married?" Underhill gently laughed, as he folded his arms. "Or is that just what you say to all the ugly people who ask you out?" 

"You didn't ask me out..." Magnus took a few steps away from Underhill, as he tried to gauge the distance between himself and the nearest exit. 

_How fast would he have to run to escape this awkward situation?_

_What if he tripped on his own shoes? Would that make things worse?_

_Would that somehow make things better?_

"That's because I didn't get the chance...because you told me you were married...and then you ran away..." Underhill deeply sighed, as he kept his focus on Magnus. "And you are literally getting ready to go for a run right now, too, aren't you?" 

"No..." Magnus calmly lied, before he began to stretch his arms and bounce a few times on his heels. "What makes you say that?" 

"I mean...is it...me? Is it because it's me?" Underhill's words came out as a whisper. "I know a lot of the popular guys are assholes, but I'm not like that. And it's not like I'm asking you out because I think you're easy or something...I just...like you." 

"Why?" Magnus stopped his marathon prep, genuinely curious about Underhill's reasoning. "Why me? You can have anyone you want, can't you?" 

"Give me your hand." Underhill's tone was serious, as he held out his own palm. 

Magnus shrugged, as he put his own hand in Underhill's. 

Underhill then slipped a blank playing card— 

Seemingly out of nowhere—

Directly into Magnus' waiting hand. 

"Okay. Now, close your hand and make a fist..." Underhill nodded to himself, as he moved his hand away from Magnus'. "And when you open your hand, you'll see how you make me feel inside." 

Magnus tentatively went along with Underhill's instructions, closing the card inside of his now balled fist— 

And once Magnus opened his hand again, his palm was filled with silver-and-gold glitter. 

He slowly shook the glitter out of his hand, eventually revealing that the image on the playing card was now a beautiful, Monarch butterfly. 

Magnus shyly smiled down at the card, marveling at the intricacies of the trick. 

He already knew exactly how Underhill had done it, but he was still impressed by Underhill's advanced sleight-of-hand. 

"Hey, Underhill. It's time to head out." 

Alec's stern voice broke through Magnus' concentration, and Magnus quickly hid the card behind his back. 

"Give me one more second, Lightwood. I'm about to melt the ice king's heart...I think." Underhill beamed over at Magnus— 

But Magnus kept his eyes on Alec's current expression. 

Alec looked _pissed_. 

And Magnus decided that it was time to go for that run, after all. "I have to go. I...uh...need to go feed the class bird..." 

"Oh? You guys have a class bird? What kind?" Underhill was completely oblivious to Alec's emotions, as he then took a step towards Magnus. 

"The kind...of bird...with...wings..." Magnus blew out a hard breath, as he slammed his locker door. 

"Well, I think birds are pretty cool. Maybe you could show me sometime, Magnus—" 

"Sorry! I can't show you the bird! I just got a text saying it flew away!" 

"A text? But you didn't even look at your phone—" 

"I gotta' go! I gotta' go!" Magnus pumped his legs as hard as they would pump, as he feverishly ran down the hallway. 

*************** 

Magnus was in the cafeteria, comfortably sitting at his usual table with Ragnor and Catarina. 

Catarina peeled open an orange, and Magnus quickly held out his hand. She divided the orange into two separate halves— 

And Ragnor soon held out his hand, as well. 

Catarina groaned, as she broke the orange into three distinct pieces, handing slices to both Magnus and Ragnor. "This is why I can't have nice things..." 

"You have nice things. You have me. You have him." Magnus scoffed with mock offense, as he bit into his orange slices. "And we're basically everything you need." 

"But I'm so hungry..." Catarina whined, as she finished up her own piece of the orange—

And suddenly, her eyes lit up with pure excitement. "New couple alert! New couple alert!" 

Catarina enthusiastically nodded towards the right side of the cafeteria, and Magnus curiously followed her nod with his eyes. 

The popular kids' table looked basically the same as it always did, with random students fawning over the-lucky-chosen, desperately trying to get invited to parties and earn their seat beside Alicante High's royalty— 

Except there was _one_ noticeable difference. 

Today, Lydia Branwell—

Prim and perfect Lydia Branwell— 

Was coolly sitting in Alec Lightwood's lap. 

"Oh..." Magnus' words were wounded, as he kept his focus on Lydia and Alec. 

"Yeah, I guess it kinda' sucks. I'm sorry, Magnus. I know how much you liked him..." Catarina pouted, as she turned towards Magnus. "But hey! It's not like he was gay, anyway, right? And plus, they look super cute together. And when they break up in like three weeks, maybe Lydia will spill the beans about what Alec's like in bed. Ooh! Maybe she'll go on a rant on social media about how he hates giving head or something." 

"He doesn't hate giving head..." The phrase absentmindedly left Magnus' mouth before he could even catch it. 

"Babe, just because he always goes down on you in your dreams, that doesn't make it real." Catarina rolled her eyes, before jokingly sticking her tongue out at Magnus. "But whatever! Fuck Alec Lightwood. You need to keep your eyes on the Underhill prize. You two would look way cuter than Alec and Lydia, anyway." 

"Yeah, Magnus, Underhill's a pretty cool dude. At least from what I hear. You should give him a chance." Ragnor nodded in agreement with Catarina. "What's the worst that could happen?" 

Magnus was completely ignoring his friends' advice, as he still stared over at Alec. 

Lydia was working through a small bowl of frozen yogurt, and she giddily scooped a spoonful into her mouth. 

She then scooped up another spoonful of the frozen treat and offered it directly to Alec. 

He parted his lips, and she giggled as she slid the spoon onto his tongue. 

When he was done with the spoon, she dipped it back into her frozen yogurt, taking yet another bite for herself... 

Lydia Branwell was fucking _double dipping_. 

Like she'd already kissed Alec. 

Like they'd already shared all the possible germs they could share. 

Magnus felt sick at the thought of Lydia's hands— 

And Lydia's mouth— 

All over Alec's body. 

"You guys want to go in for a second round of 1/3rd of an orange?" Catarina gently patted the table, as she leaned over towards Magnus and Ragnor. "Or are you full from the first round?" 

"I'm...I...I'm..." Magnus shook his head, as he tried to will something comprehensible to form in his brain— 

But he was finding it hard to speak as an awful pressure continued to build behind his chest. 

"More orange, it is!" Catarina grinned as she hopped up from the table. Ragnor happily watched his girlfriend walk away, before he went back to hovering his face over his textbook. 

From several feet away, Magnus saw a waving hand— 

Directly coming from the popular kids' table itself— 

Magnus waved back without thinking, his mind still focused on the heartbreaking scene unfolding in front of him. 

When Magnus' eyes finally found their focus, he realized that he was waving at Underhill— 

Who was excitedly waving right back. 

Magnus glanced over at Alec again—

And sure enough, Alec was wearing that very familiar _pissed off_ expression. 

Magnus watched as Alec went for his phone, hastily pulling it out onto the table— 

And a few seconds later, Magnus' own phone vibrated with a new message: 

_**Unknown**_ : stop 

_**Magnus**_ : ??? Are you serious??? You literally have a girl in your lap??? 

_**Unknown**_ : not real

_**Magnus**_ : Not real??? Is Lydia Branwell a robot now??? 

_**Unknown**_ : yes :) 

_**Unknown**_ : we'll talk later 

_**Unknown**_ : we'll *kiss later 

Magnus frowned at the screen, as he soon put his phone back to sleep. 

Magnus then swiftly tucked his phone away, as he moved closer to Ragnor, close enough to read Ragnor's textbook from over his shoulder— 

Before Magnus realized that the textbook was entirely in another language. "Ragnor, you can read this?" 

Ragnor shrugged, as he quietly turned another page. 

"It's like I know you...but I don't know you..." Magnus sighed, as he stared at the textbook's pages. 

"Hmm. I'm not sure you can ever really _know_ anyone." Ragnor's answer came out casual, his eyes never leaving the sentence he was reading. 

Magnus shot a quick look back over at Lydia and Alec—

Back over at the way-too-pretty girl still feeding the way-too-pretty boy— 

And Magnus silently sank back in his seat. "Unfortunately...I think you might be right, Ragnor. Maybe you can never really know anyone." 

Ragnor and Magnus shared a quick, quiet smile— 

Before Catarina was back at their table, offering each of them their separate set of orange slices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — YASSSS COME THROUGH MULTI-CHAPTER FIC but yeah y'all will probably notice something like an actual plot beginning to form vs. the random one-shot feel from beforeeeee 
> 
> — Underhill is really out here T R Y I N G like damn he is S M O O T H
> 
> — Alec is lowkey being THE WORST TBH


	6. You're Fucking Magical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus nervously waited in the janitor's closet, as he scrolled through what felt like a million search results: 
> 
> _How to tell your closeted boyfriend that you want more_  
>  _How to tell your closeted fuck buddy that you want more_  
>  _Demanding What You're Worth: A Sugar Baby's Guide to Success_  
>  _I want to kiss him but I also want to throw him in the trash???_  
>  _How to Make Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes_  
>  _Can you learn how to spontaneously combust whenever you want to???_
> 
> Magnus then heard the opening of the closet door— 
> 
> And it was quickly followed by Alec's lips forcefully kissing his own.

Magnus and Catarina sat in one of the library's exclusive "silent rooms." 

The "silent rooms" were prime real estate at Alicate High, with their sound-proofed walls allowing for students to fully concentrate on their studies— 

_Or_ the perfectly quiet rooms could also be used by students to perfectly procrastinate on their studies, without any outside interruptions—

And Magnus and Catarina were currently procrastinating. 

"Why are we drinking this again?" Magnus tapped against the plastic of a bottled gallon of water, before he took a light sip. "Do we win something for drinking all of this?" 

"Yes." Catarina grinned as she sipped out of her own gallon-sized water bottle. "Drink a gallon of water a day, and we win the best prize there is! We win healthy, glowing skin." 

"Did Ragnor say something about your skin?" Magnus' voice was lined with a threat, as he drummed his fingers against the room's wooden table. " _I'll kill him_." 

"What?! No!" Catarina lightly laughed, as she set down her water bottle. "The water is just me trying out something I read about online. Ragnor would never say anything bad about my skin...or bad about me, really. He likes me too much." Catarina jokingly rolled her eyes, as she placed her elbows on the table. "You know how deliciously ridiculous it can be when someone is completely in love with you."

"Yeah..." Magnus subtly nodded to himself, before taking another sip of his water. "But what if Ragnor wasn't?" 

"What?" 

"What if Ragnor wasn't completely in love with you?" Magnus took a deep breath, as his eyes darted to another side of the room. "What if you weren't even sure if Ragnor really liked you?" 

"Magnus—" 

"What if Ragnor was just using you? What if he just...liked you for your body or something..." Magnus brought his focus back to Catarina, who was now staring over at him with a saddened expression. 

"Magnus, tell me what's going on." Catarina leaned towards Magnus, as she reached for one of his hands, quietly pulling it into one of her own. "I know you don't want to tell me who your mystery man is, but at least tell me what's going on with you two. As your best friend, I at least deserve to know that much." 

"Okay...um...short story format or long story format?" 

"Short story format. I love you, Magnus, but your long stories always get so sidetracked and the library closes at 5 today. They'd kick us out before you even got to the second act." Catarina smiled, as she gently squeezed Magnus' hand. "But if the details are juicy enough, I give you permission to go into explicit detail." 

"Okay...short story format...I can do this..." Magnus blew out a breath, gently squeezing Catarina's hand in return. "I met a guy. He's super cute. Um...I blew him, which you already know about...He gave me a handjob...And then he blew me in that movie theater, the one with the super buttery popcorn—" 

"Uh..." Catarina grimaced, as she looked over at Magnus. "I've got some bad news, babe." 

"Was I still in long story format mode? Oh God, how long was I _talking_?" Magnus shook his head in disbelief, as he tried to replay his own words in his head. 

_Had he been talking for five minutes or forty-five minutes?_

He honestly had no idea. 

"It doesn't really sound like you two are dating...it just sounds like you two are hooking up..." Catarina slowly tilted her head to the side. "But he told you that he likes you, right?" 

Magnus' entire body went still. 

And Catarina was immediately able to solve the awful mystery. "Magnus, what the fuck? He never even said he liked you?" 

"It's...complicated...he's still...in the closet..." 

"Okay, _and_? Closeted people don't have feelings? Closeted people don't tell other people how they feel about them? He might be in the closet, but the way he's treating you is shitty, Magnus." Catarina scoffed, before continuing on with her thoughts. "Just because he's in the closet, that doesn't mean he gets to keep you in there, too. You're not some dirty secret, okay? You're Magnus Bane. You're fucking magical." 

"Catarina—" 

"I'll cut a bitch for you, Magnus. Do you understand? I'll punch him in his fucking face so fucking hard—" 

"Catarina! Oh my God!" Magnus burst out into a laugh, before he softly patted Catarina's hand. "Thank you, Catarina...for saying all that stuff. I don't know...I think I just like him so much that I just...I...just..." 

"You just forgot how awesome you are, that's all." Catarina happily shrugged, as she nodded to herself. "It's okay. That shit happens to all of us. Remember when I dyed my hair blonde in the 5th grade? All because I was trying to get William T.'s attention?" 

"You looked so bad." Magnus was now laughing so hard that he was crying, as he moved his finger to wipe away at his tears. "I thought you were wearing a wig. I tried to pull it off." 

Catarina soon joined in the laughter, too, as she began to giddily chuckle— 

And then there was a loud knocking on the silent room's glass window. 

A disgruntled student peered into the room, as he disapprovingly shook his head. 

He swiftly flipped both Catarina and Magnus _the bird_ — 

And they just as quickly flipped him off in return. 

The student eventually walked away, mumbling curse words under his breath. 

"Okay, I feel like he's going to go get a teacher or something. Fucking narcs." Catarina laughed again, as she reached for her bottled water. "Let's bail, Bane. I can't get detention today. Ragnor's taking me to the zoo." 

"Would you hate me if I decided to tag along? I had plans with the _mystery man_ later, but—" 

"Oh my God, Magnus. You can always tag along, whenever you want. We're all on the same team. You know that." Catarina beamed over at Magnus, while her hand reached for the room's doorknob. "Oh, except when Ragnor and I are trying to have sex or something. No plus ones allowed." 

"Just when I think I've finally got the image of you two boning out of my head...you jam it right back in there..." Magnus grimaced, before following Catarina out of the room. 

*************** 

Magnus nervously waited in the janitor's closet, as he scrolled through what felt like a million search results: 

_How to tell your closeted boyfriend that you want more_

_How to tell your closeted fuck buddy that you want more_

_Demanding What You're Worth: A Sugar Baby's Guide to Success_

_I want to kiss him but I also want to throw him in the trash???_

_How to Make Vegan Fried Green Tomatoes_

_Can you learn how to spontaneously combust whenever you want to???_

Magnus then heard the opening of the closet door— 

And it was quickly followed by Alec's lips forcefully kissing his own. 

"I missed you." Alec's words were a whisper, before he began to suggestively grind his hips against Magnus. "Did you miss me, too?" 

Magnus moaned, as he felt Alec's mouth against his neck, already planting soft kisses along Magnus' sensitive skin— 

But Magnus managed to will himself away from the temptation, as he cautiously pushed Alec away from his body. "Stop." 

Alec instantly stopped his movements, before staring down at Magnus' face. "Why? What's wrong?" 

"You and Lydia..." Magnus struggled to concentrate, as his skin tingled all over, practically _begging_ for Alec Lightwood's fingertips. "What the fuck?" 

"Right. I already forgot about that." Alec let out a breezy laugh, as he kept his attention on Magnus. "It's just celebrity bullshit. It seriously doesn't mean anything. Lydia just wants more attention. I think she might want to be Prom Queen or something, who the fuck knows? She just wants people to be more interested in her, and I guess people thinking she's with me makes her more interesting?" 

"Prom Queen and Prom King..." 

"What?" 

"Alec, if Lydia wants to be Prom Queen, that must mean that she wants you to be the Prom King, too..." Magnus' voice got quiet, as he leaned against a wall in the closet. "So, everybody's going to think that you two are some kind of power couple..." 

"Who cares what everybody else thinks, Magnus? You and I both know the truth." 

Magnus snorted with a laugh— 

And Alec gave a confused shrug. "What's so funny?" 

" _Who cares what everybody else thinks_? I'm sorry, it's just..." Magnus laughed again, as he wrapped his arms around his own sides. "You care, Alec Lightwood! You care about what everybody else thinks! You care so fucking much! If you didn't actually care, you would just come out!" 

"I don't think you get it, Magnus. We're not the same, okay? It's fine for you to be out and everything, because no one really cares about what you do. It's not like you're popular or anything—" Alec stopped himself mid-sentence, as he tried to work on his phrasing. "It's just that, if I came out, people would look at me differently. My team would look at me differently. My fucking friends would look at me differently. And it's my last year in high school...So, I just want it to be...perfect." 

"You're right, Alec, it's our last year in high school. Wouldn't you at least want your friends to know who you really are? What about Underhill—" 

"Underhill's a fucking joke." Alec scoffed, before resting his hands on his own waist. "He's barely part of the group. No one cares that he's gay, because no one cares about _him_ , either." 

"Well...if no one cares about _him_ and no one cares about _me_ , then maybe Underhill and I are a match made in heaven." Magnus hummed to himself, as he waited for Alec's response. 

"Magnus, that's not what I meant. Of course, people care about you—" 

"Do you care about me, Alec?" 

Alec's answer came in the form of another passionate kiss, while Alec's hands moved to Magnus' side. "Come on. Don't ask me shit like that. You already know the answer." 

"I just want to hear you say it..." Magnus' voice trembled, as he rested his palms against Alec's shoulders. "Do you care about me, Alec? Do you have feelings for me?" 

"I have to go." Alec hastily moved away from Magnus, as Alec then turned to face the closet door. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" 

"Alec, what—" 

Magnus urgently tried to bring Alec back into the conversation— 

But Alec was already out the door. 

*********************** 

Magnus hadn't heard from Alec all day. 

School was over by now, and Magnus was haphazardly sorting through his locker. 

It was hard to concentrate with the growing hole in Magnus' chest. 

It hurt and hurt and hurt... 

But Magnus didn't know how to make it stop hurting. 

When Magnus removed a textbook from the bottom of his locker, he found a bright red envelope with gold lining its edges— 

Magnus' heart quickly thumped back to life. 

What if Alec had finally decided to do it? What if Alec had finally decided to come out? 

Magnus tore open the envelope, with his curiosity only getting heavier by the second... 

Inside the envelope were a pair of tickets. 

Magnus squinted down at them to get a better look— 

They were tickets to some kind of travelling magic show, that just happened to be stopping in the city for the night. 

"I don't know if the show's any good, but if worse comes to worst, at least we can make fun of shitty magicians." Underhill's voice carried through to Magnus' ears, as Magnus turned around to face him. 

"You got me these?" Magnus calmly shook the tickets in his hand. 

"Yeah. Well, honestly, I got them for myself, but no one else wanted to go." Underhill chuckled, before letting out a shallow breath. "Come with me? Please? It doesn't have to mean anything. We can just go as friends. I just really want to go." 

Magnus squinted again, as he caught a familiar figure standing only a few feet away from their conversation. 

Alec Lightwood was watching them. 

Alec Lightwood was watching _him_. 

But Magnus really didn't care. 

In this moment, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with Alec Lightwood. 

"Sure. I'll go. Good magic is great, but bad magic might be even better. Ooh, maybe someone will accidentally set us on fire and then we'll get to sue the venue and then we'll be _millionaires _! " Magnus firmly nodded over at Underhill, before finally closing up his locker. "Did you want to head over there together and just wait for the show? We can hang out at that new frozen yogurt place. Catarina seems to like it, so I'll probably like it, too."__

"I...uh...yeah...I would like that." Underhill stuttered and stumbled over his words, before eventually fully recovering. "Is Catarina the girl with the huge water bottle? Is she...is she okay? Or is she just _really thirsty_?" 

Underhill wiggled an eyebrow—

And Magnus couldn't help the laugh that went through him in response. "Oh my God. That was funny, but literally never say that joke around her. She'll kill you. She'll kill _us_."

__"Noted." Underhill smiled, as he started to head for the nearest exit. "We should get to the frozen yogurt place before it gets full. The seats go pretty fast. I don't want to eat fro-yo while standing up."_ _

__"Oh, I _refuse_ to eat fro-yo while standing up. What are we? Barbarians?" Magnus shook his head, before he quickly followed in Underhill's footsteps. _ _

__"Underhill!" Alec's voice made its way across the hallway, but Underhill didn't even bother to turn around. He swiftly waved goodbye to Alec, using the backside of his palm. "Later, Lightwood! Just text me if you need anything!"_ _

__"Magnus!" Alec's tone sounded beaten and bruised..._ _

__And it fiercely pulled at Magnus' every last heart-string._ _

__Magnus wanted to turn around._ _

__He really, _really_ wanted to turn around. _ _

__But Magnus knew that he couldn't._ _

__Even if Alec had finally gotten up the courage to _acknowledge Magnus in public_ , it still didn't change anything between them. _ _

__And Magnus was just so tired of that goddamn closet._ _

__Magnus winced with pain as he ignored Alec calling out his name—_ _

__As he and Underhill proceeded to open the exit door—_ _

__And together, they stepped out into the sunlight._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — this is basically [me](https://media.giphy.com/media/NbXws7ARqQ8RG/giphy.gif) with this fic at this point
> 
> — ALEC DONE FUCKED UP TBH
> 
> — Magnus & Catarina are primo BFFs forever + always ♥♥♥


	7. Stay in the Jeep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec watched as Underhill appreciatively scanned Magnus up and down— 
> 
> And Alec watched as Magnus smiled back over at Underhill—
> 
> Magnus' eyes nearly lit up with a grin, as if he and Underhill already had a million inside jokes between them— 
> 
> And something in Alec began to crack right down the middle...

"What flavor is that?" Magnus pointed towards the frozen yogurt machine, before twirling a plastic bowl in his hands. "It just says...red? But red isn't a flavor? Is it?" 

"Hmm...It's either strawberry...or cherry...or blood..." Underhill shook his head, as he took a step closer to the machine. He quickly looked around the room— 

Before he discreetly held out his palm, moving it underneath the mouth of the machine. 

Underhill then pressed a button—

As a mound of bright red, frozen yogurt swirled directly onto his hand. 

He licked at the frozen yogurt... 

And soon there was a wide grin on his face. "Yep. It's blood flavored." 

"No way." Magnus smirked, as he looked down at Underhill's hand. "You're totally fucking with me." 

"I'm not fucking with you. Here. Try it." Underhill held his palm up towards Magnus' lips— 

And Magnus, unthinking, licked at the frozen yogurt, as well. 

Magnus rolled his eyes, as he immediately recognized the familiar taste on his tongue. "Underhill, if you think that blood tastes like _strawberries_ , you're in for a terrible surprise someday. Also, why'd you use your hand? Why didn't you use your bowl? And oh my God, did I just lick something directly out of your goddamn hand—" 

"Yep. You did. And you looked just like a cat." Underhill laughed, while finishing off the frozen yogurt now melting in his palm. "You're pretty freakin' adorable, Magnus Bane." 

Magnus shyly smiled at the compliment, as he began to fill up his empty bowl with strawberry frozen yogurt. "Sorry, if I'm a little weird sometimes—" 

"You're not weird, Magnus. You're...different. You stand out, and you don't care about standing out." Underhill calmly filled his bowl with strawberry frozen yogurt, too. "You're just...you. And you have no idea how cool that is." 

"Yeah, I'm so _cool_. That must be why I never get invited to those infamous archery shindigs..." Magnus sighed, before reaching for a nearby bottle of sprinkles. 

"Ehh. You probably don't get invited to those parties because you call them _shindigs_." Underhill grinned, while he peppered his own frozen yogurt with edible glitter. "But I can always get you an invite, if you really wanted to come. You'd probably be the prettiest plus one I've ever had, so..." 

"Is this your thing, Underhill? Does flattery typically get you everywhere in your life?" Magnus spooned a huge bite of frozen yogurt into his mouth. "Or is this just how you flirt?" 

"Is it really flirting if I'm just being honest?" Underhill beamed over at Magnus, as he moved his hand towards Magnus' bowl. Underhill casually used his own spoon to dip into Magnus' frozen yogurt, before sliding the dessert into his own mouth. 

"Hey! You have your own." Magnus playfully scoffed, as he brought his bowl closer to his chest. 

"But yours taste better." Underhill whined, while moving his spoon towards Magnus' bowl again— 

"Underhill, they're the same flavor!" Magnus loudly laughed, as he took a step back from Underhill—

But Underhill moved towards Magnus again, dramatically waving his own spoon in mid-air. "The strawberry fro-yo war begins now, Bane! My people will have your fro-yo for their kingdom!" 

Underhill held up his spoon as if it was a sword— 

And Magnus grinned, before he began to play along, soon holding up his own spoon-sword, too. "You'll have to pull my fro-yo out of my cold, dead hands, Underhill!" 

"Well, Bane, your hands are already _cold_ because of the fro-yo, so we're already halfway there! On guard!" 

"On guard!" Magnus repeated the phrase, but he had no idea what it meant—

And a few seconds later, Magnus and Underhill were hitting their cheap, plastic spoons against each other, "sparring" back and forth in front of the frozen yogurt machine. 

"Jesus Christ! We get it! You're in love! Move the fuck out of the way! You're blocking the goddamn machine!" An annoyed customer was suddenly standing in front of them, as she violently shook her empty, plastic bowl. "This fro-yo is all I have, you assholes! Take your cute shit somewhere else!" 

"Oh, we're not—" Magnus began to answer the woman's angry rant— 

But instead, Underhill grabbed onto Magnus' hand— 

And swiftly moved them both out of her way. 

Underhill chose to keep holding onto Magnus' hand, as he led them to a table near the store's glass window... 

And as Underhill held onto his hand, Magnus waited for the butterflies... 

He waited...and waited...and waited... 

But they never showed up. 

Magnus wondered if the butterflies were just complete idiots. 

They absolutely swarmed in his stomach when it came to Alec Lightwood—

But were completely quiet around Underhill? 

_But why?_

As Magnus internally cursed the stupid, _stupid_ , butterflies with their stupid, _stupid_ , silent wings, he took his seat across from Underhill. 

Underhill had let go of Magnus' hand, as he furiously typed something out on his phone. "Sorry, Magnus. It looks like Lightwood might be stopping by. He said he wants to speak with me about something?" 

Just at the mention of Alec's name, Magnus' familiar butterflies flew back into action. 

Magnus tried his best to pretend like he wasn't affected by their rapidly fluttering wings, as he looked over at Underhill. "Oh...That's fine. It's probably important, right? Something about the team?" 

"Yeah, maybe..." Underhill scrunched up his face, before leaning back in his seat. "It's pretty fucking weird, though. At first, Alec pretty much treated me like I was invisible? And then he started treating me like he could definitely _see me_ , but he always gave me this look like I was just wasting his time. And now, it's like he's all over me, and I can't figure out why..." 

Underhill quietly hummed, and Magnus desperately tried to push down the growing lump in his throat. 

"I don't know...This is going to sound pretty weird...But if I didn't know any better, I'd say it's almost like...Alec's keeping his eye on me? Like...I'm his competition or something?" Underhill chuckled, before taking a bite out of his frozen yogurt. "But that's pretty fucking dumb, right? Alec Lightwood has _everything_. And if he thinks I want Lydia Branwell, he's totally wrong about that. Lydia's nice, but she's not my type." 

Underhill grinned over at Magnus—

And Magnus' hands suddenly went nervously flying— 

Which ended with Magnus' bowl of frozen yogurt landing directly in his lap. 

"Shit, Magnus! Do you need some napkins or—" 

"It's okay! I think I have enough napkins right here—" 

Magnus pulled at the napkin container—

Which only produced one, single napkin. 

Magnus grimaced, as he softly let out a groan. "Fuck my entire life." 

Underhill smiled, as he hastily stood away from the table. "Don't worry about it, Magnus. I'll go get you some more napkins." He conspicuously winked down at Magnus, before speedily walking towards the back of the store. 

As Magnus hopelessly dabbed at the stain on his pants, he could feel someone taking a seat beside him—

And Magnus didn't even have to glance over at the seat—

Because Magnus' now dancing butterflies already knew who it was. "I spilled fro-yo on my pants. Underhill went to get some napkins—" 

Alec interrupted Magnus' words, by covertly taking Magnus' hand into his own, underneath the table. "I'm sorry." 

"What?" 

"I'm sorry, Magnus. You asked me how I felt about you...and I fucked up." Alec deeply sighed, as he softly squeezed Magnus' hand. "I...I care about you so much, Magnus..." 

"I care about you, too, Alec." Magnus offered Alec a weak smile. "But I can't—" 

"Underhill approached the table again—

And Alec quickly pulled his hand away from Magnus. 

"I can't do that anymore, Alec. I can't do _that_." Magnus gave Alec a sad expression, before he held his hand out for the napkins, and soon somewhat successfully wiped down his pants. 

Magnus then grinned wide back up at Underhill, as he jokingly batted his eyelashes. "Ah, Underhill! My hero." 

"Anytime, dollface." Underhill grinned right back at Magnus, before he took his seat across from Alec. "Hey, Lightwood! What's up? You said you had something you wanted to tell me?" 

Alec watched as Underhill appreciatively scanned Magnus up and down— 

And Alec watched as Magnus smiled back over at Underhill—

Magnus' eyes nearly lit up with a grin, as if he and Underhill already had a million inside jokes between them— 

And something in Alec began to crack right down the middle...

"I'm gay." 

"What?" Underhill's focus darted back to Alec, as Underhill let out a small chuckle. "Please don't tell me that you're resorting to making a joke out of my sexuality, Lightwood. I don't come from a picture-perfect family like you, golden boy. If I break your fucking nose right fucking now, there won't be any repercussions." 

"I'm not trying to start a fight...just...shit..." Alec took in a shallow breath, before leaning his elbows on the table. "I'm gay, okay? I'm not bullshitting you. I am...gay...and...um..." 

"Oh? There's more to this confession?" Underhill crossed his arms, as he gave Alec a rather stern look. "Please, do continue. You're gay and what else? You've been in love with me this whole time? Is that why you've been such an asshole to me? _Because you like me?_ " 

"No...I um...Magnus..." Alec mumbled through his words, as he reached for Magnus' hand again, now holding it under the table for the second time today. "...Mine." 

"You two know each other?" Underhill raised an eyebrow, before suddenly leaning towards Magnus. "Is he just fucking with me? Please tell me he's just fucking with me." 

"It's...complicated..." Magnus looked off to the side, feeling like he _needed_ to break eye contact with Underhill. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you...but...um..." 

"It's not Magnus' fault. It's mine. I wasn't ready to come out." Alec nodded to himself, as he nervously looked over at Underhill. "But I couldn't just like...let you...have him. So...yeah. You should probably back off." 

"No." Underhill scoffed, as he waved a hand away from his face. "No fucking way, Lightwood. You're so used to getting everything you want, huh? But I'm not going to make this easy for you. You like Magnus? Cool. I like Magnus, too. And I'll _back off_ when Magnus tells me to." 

"Magnus. Tell him to back off." Alec's tone was authoritative, as he kept his eyes on Underhill— 

But Alec soon felt a rush of wind by his side—

As Magnus suddenly appeared on the other side of the glass window—

Eagerly running down the street. 

******************** 

"I have to change schools! I have to change fucking schools! Is it too late to transfer out?" 

"Magnus, we're in our senior year..." 

"Catarina, I'm dying! I'm going to actually die! Don't you care if I die?" 

"Oh my God, Magnus, I don't even know what happened! What happened?!" 

"I can't tell you! You know I can't tell you!" Magnus whined directly into his phone, as he paced back and forth on the sidewalk. "Just help me!" 

"Can't help you without the details, Magnus." Ragnor's voice was on the phone now, as he quietly sighed over the line. "Come on, man. You have to give us something." 

"Ragnor? Did Catarina hand you the phone? Where'd she go? Where'd she go, Ragnor?!" 

"I'm right here, Magnus. I was just...um...throwing something away." 

Magnus paused, as he tilted his head to the side. "Wait. Why'd you say it like that?" 

"Say it like what, Magnus?" Catarina's voice was suspiciously lighter, almost as if she was trying to sound as sweet-as-candy. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Catarina...what were you throwing away?" Magnus held his phone even closer to his mouth. "And don't lie to me, because I'll _know_. You're already doing that thing with your voice." 

"I don't have a thing that I do with my voice—" 

"Yes, you do, baby." Ragnor's voice once again chimed into the conversation. 

"Fine, Magnus! We were just...um...sharing..." Catarina's words trailed off, while her vocal tone only rose higher and higher... 

"Catarina!" 

"Oh my God! Fine! We were having sex! You called when we were having sex! And I wasn't going to answer the phone, but you sent me like a million texts and I thought something serious had happened to you! I made Ragnor stop right in the middle! And then I picked up the phone and called you but we forgot to take off his condom so—" 

"Oh, good! So that means you two aren't busy anymore!" 

"Magnus, what—" 

"Are you two at your place or Ragnor's place?" 

"We're...in Ragnor's jeep...in a parking lot..." 

"Stay in the jeep. I'll be there in like five minutes." 

"Magnus—" 

"Stay in the jeep! Put your clothes back on! And don't try to finish up before I get there! Keep it in your goddamn pants! I'm coming over!" Magnus was already dashing down the street— 

Before he realized that he had no idea _which_ parking lot they were in. 

"Oh, and text me the address! Love you, see you soon!" Magnus quickly hung up the phone, as he continued down the street— 

Not knowing exactly where he was _going_ — 

But knowing that he definitely needed to get the hell out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — literally running away from your problems is a solid plan, Magnus has the right idea tbh RUN SO FAST YOUR PROBLEMS JUST CAN'T CATCH YOU
> 
> — Underhill just being like "okay, and???" to Alec coming out is hilarious to me L O L HE DOES NOT CARE AT ALL 
> 
> — please note that Alec is still being hella selective about who he's coming out to~ just note it, I dunno, jot it down somewhere or something


	8. Fireworks.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't know...He just makes me feel..." Magnus paused, while his brain searched through its every corner for just the right word— 
> 
> "Fireworks." 
> 
> "What?" 
> 
> "He makes me feel like there are fireworks...inside me...Every time I see him, it's always like the clock just struck midnight on New Year's Eve..." Magnus grinned to himself, as he looked right into Catarina's eyes. "Is that...stupid? Am I just being stupid?" 
> 
> "No...It's not stupid, Magnus—" 
> 
> "Yeah, it's not stupid, but it definitely sounds like you just need to bone him." Ragnor's words came out casual, as he drummed his fingers along his thigh.

Magnus ran up to the Jeep, as he desperately knocked on its hood. "Ragnor! Catarina!" 

"We can see you, Magnus." Ragnor groaned, as he finished pulling on his shirt. Ragnor then slightly turned towards Catarina, before he gave her a lingering kiss. "I can't wait to have you all to myself, baby." 

"I can't wait for you to have me..." Catarina beamed back over at Ragnor—

And Magnus loudly hit his hand against the car's hood again. "I'm having a crisis! Focus on what matters!" 

"You're right, Magnus. We should all focus on the _only thing that matters_." Catarina grinned, as she stepped out of the car. She quickly moved to the backseat and nodded towards the empty seat beside her. "Come on. Just like old times." 

Magnus wordlessly moved into the seat beside her, as Ragnor sat in the front and searched through the car radio for something he deemed listenable. 

The sound of someone sing-screaming about ghosts and horror and blood now softly floated through the car, as Ragnor silently nodded along with the song. 

"What's going on, Magnus?" Catarina leaned towards him, as she gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "And it better be good, babe, or else I'm filing a restraining order." 

"Okay...um....how can I say this..." Magnus took a deep breath, as his eyes darted back and forth across the car's ceiling. "Okay! Wait! You remember how you said that I should give Underhill a chance? You said it, Catarina! You were the one who said it!" 

"Oh my God. Did you two go out or something?" Catarina's eyes went wide with delight. "Did you two _do it_? Is that what happened to your pants?" 

Magnus firmly shook his head. "No. That's a frozen yogurt stain." 

"Oh...did you spill frozen yogurt on yourself...on your first date with Underhill..." Catarina grimaced, before tilting her head to the side. "Is this what you meant by _dying_? Because yeah, I probably would've died of embarrassment, too, Magnus—" 

"It wasn't a date! We were just hanging out as friends!" Magnus was suddenly flustered, as he tried to get back on track with his story. 

"Yeah, no. Underhill doesn't want to be your friend, Magnus. He probably just said it was a friend thing, so you wouldn't freak out and...run...away..." Catarina's expression went blank, when the realization finally hit her. "But you still...totally ran away...Magnus, oh my God! That's awful! He tried to hang out with you and you ran away?!" 

"I had to run, Catarina! It was so fucking awkward! That guy I blew showed up, and he was about to get all in Underhill's face..." Magnus crossed his arms, before he leaned his head back against the headrest. "Hey, you'll both still hang out with me, right? Even after I change schools? You two won't just hang out without me?" 

"Magnus, you don't need to change schools...but you probably do need to figure this one out on your own." Catarina slightly smiled, now leaning her head against the headrest, too. "To be completely honest, your mystery man seems like a total jerk. What's your deal with him, anyway?" 

"I don't know...He just makes me feel..." Magnus paused, while his brain searched through its every corner for just the right word— 

"Fireworks." 

"What?" 

"He makes me feel like there are fireworks...inside me...Every time I see him, it's always like the clock just struck midnight on New Year's Eve..." Magnus grinned to himself, as he looked right into Catarina's eyes. "Is that...stupid? Am I just being stupid?" 

"No...It's not stupid, Magnus—" 

"Yeah, it's not stupid, but it definitely sounds like you just need to bone him." Ragnor's words came out casual, as he drummed his fingers along his thigh. 

"Ragnor, what the hell?" Catarina forcefully flicked the back of Ragnor's head with her index finger. "Don't give Magnus bad advice!" 

"I'm not giving him bad advice, baby. It's just obvious that Magnus super wants to bone this dude." Ragnor shrugged, as he turned around to face Magnus. "All that fireworks shit you're talking about? You're probably just horny. Is this guy the hottest guy you've ever seen in your life?" 

"...Yes..." Magnus hesitated to answer the question, even though he immediately knew the answer. 

"Yeah, I figured. Whatever, though. You want to end the fireworks show? Bone him. And then maybe you'll be able to see him as just a person. And maybe you'll realize he completely sucks, and you can get on with your life." Ragnor offered Magnus a genuine smile, before he turned back around towards the radio. 

"Uh, Ragnor? Is that how you felt about me, too?" Catarina's voice was quiet, almost like she didn't want Ragnor to hear the question— 

Because she didn't really want to hear the answer. 

"No. I didn't want to bone you because I thought you were hot, Catarina. I wanted to bone you, because I already knew that I loved you and I wanted to be the only person _boning you_." 

"Aww, baby...That was so sweet..." Catarina leaned forward in her seat, just enough to lightly kiss Ragnor on his shoulder. 

"That was _sweet_ to you?" Magnus looked back and forth between them, as he thought back over Ragnor's words. "But he said 'bone' like a billion times...Dear God...what are you wedding vows going to be like..." 

Magnus gave Ragnor a disapproving frown—

Before Magnus' phone thunderously vibrated in his pants. 

He quickly answered the phone, without even glancing at the Caller ID— 

And he instantly regretted not even _glancing_ at the Caller ID. 

"Where are you?" Alec's tone was harsh, and obviously demanded answers. "You can't just run away like that. I was worried about you." 

"I'm sorry, I—" 

"Don't apologize, Magnus. Just tell me where you are and I'll come get you." 

"Um...okay...I'm just...alone...in a parking lot..." Magnus shot a look over at Catarina and Ragnor, who were currently enveloped in their own little world, excitedly talking to each other. "I'll just text you the address..." 

"Okay. I'll be right there, okay? Don't run away again." 

"Okay..." Magnus shakily hung up the phone, as he shifted closer to the car's door. "Um, not to be _rude_ or anything, but the mystery man is coming to pick me up and that means you two need to go park somewhere else." 

"Magnus, are you serious? You were the one who came to us! And now you're making us leave?" Catarina gave Magnus a confused shrug. "I don't even...Magnus, _what_?" 

"Come on, baby. We should go. Let Magnus have one of the best sex spots in the city. He's going to need it soon enough." Ragnor smirked, before he reached into his glove compartment. He then held his hand out towards the backseat, offering Magnus a row of condoms. "Did you need some lube, too? Or do you carry your own?" 

Magnus was frozen in shock, currently unable to form a coherent response to the question. 

Ragnor quietly handed Magnus a small bottle of lube, gently sliding the bottle onto Magnus' lap. "We didn't open the bottle or anything, promise. We just want you to be safe and have a good time. Right, Catarina?" 

Catarina nodded in agreement, before giving Magnus a quick kiss on his cheek. "We love you, okay? And we just want you to make good choices. We want you to make the best decision _for you_ , whether that's blowing that same guy _again_ or living happily ever after with Underhill." 

"But you think the best decision for me is Underhill? Right? Catarina—" 

"Nope! Not going to say another word. Now, get out of the car, so Ragnor and I can drive around and hopefully find somewhere else to make-out." Catarina leaned across Magnus, forceully pushing the door open on his side. 

"Catarina—" 

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Catarina jokingly shouted, as she nudged Magnus in his arm. "I want to kiss my boyfriend!" 

"See you later, Magnus." Ragnor hastily threw up the peace sign, before revving up his engine and pulling out from the parking lot as fast as humanly possible. 

Magnus now stood in the middle of the secluded parking lot—

Holding onto a row of condoms— 

And a bottle of lube. 

"I should've never opened that fucking closet..." Magnus muttered under his breath, as he took an exasperated seat on the dark pavement. 

************** 

When Alec pulled up, Magnus jammed the condoms and lube into his pockets, as deep as they could possibly go. 

Alec's car was a midnight blue Bentley, something extremely sleek and way-too-fucking expensive for a teenager to seriously be driving. 

Alec parked directly next to where Magnus was sitting—

Before stepping out of his vehicle. 

He didn't say a word to Magnus, though, as he instead went towards the backseat of his car, and quietly slipped inside. 

Magnus was about to ask Alec a question— 

Until he saw Alec's head pop back out of the car. "Come here. I want to talk to you." 

Magnus didn't even bother to push himself off the ground. 

Instead, he silently rolled his body towards Alec's car— 

And then grunted as he climbed into Alec's backseat. 

"Magnus, did you just...roll...into my—" 

"My legs are tired. Should've stretched before I ran." Magnus shrugged after his sentence, as if his own logic was completely faultless. "And I have to save my energy, just in case I need to run again—" 

Alec interrupted Magnus, by leaning over Magnus' body—

Noisily slamming his car door shut. 

"Did you have a good time at the frozen yogurt place?" Alec's question came as he sat back in his seat, with his eyes focused on Magnus' face. "Before I fucked it up for you...I guess..." 

"Yeah, actually. Underhill is...really nice." Magnus smiled as he remembered Underhill's playful grin. "You would probably like him, too, if you gave him a chance." 

"Okay...And how was your day going before that?" Alec kept his voice low, as he continued to stare over at Magnus. 

"It was...fine..." Magnus slightly shifted closer to Alec. "Alec, are you okay?" 

"Yeah, it's just...If this is going to be our last conversation...it should just be...nice." Alec weakly smiled, before blowing out a long breath. "And you're right. Underhill is...nice. You two would really be...something." 

"Last conversation? Alec—" 

"I don't want to be the one standing in the way of your happiness, Magnus. I told you that I care about you...and I meant it..." Alec winced, as he suddenly turned away from Magnus. "But I'm still not...ready...and that's not fair to you...So...it'd probably be easier if we just...stopped." 

"Oh..." Magnus sank back into his seat, as he procesesed the meaning of Alec's words. 

Alec still wasn't _ready to come out_. 

Even after coming out to Underhill... 

And Magnus could tell that he was about to start crying...

He could feel the sadness building underneath his own skin. 

"Let me just...drive you home..." Alec reached for his door handle, as it began to slightly crack open. "Goodbye, Magnus." 

"Goodbye, Alec..." Magnus sniffled after his words, already trying to suppress his inclination to loudly weep. "I'll...see you around..." 

Alec didn't respond, as he quietly stepped out of the car. 

As the door slammed shut, Magnus finally let out a pained gasp for air. 

His heart, his veins, his teeth, nails and skin— 

Somehow, everything hurt all at once. 

As Magnus struggled to take in another breath—

The door on his side of the car suddenly flung open, so sudden that Magnus almost tumbled out onto the pavement—

But he was pushed back into his seat, by Alec's strong grip. 

Alec slammed the door behind him, as he now sat on Magnus' side of the car. "I can't." 

"What?" 

"I can't do it, Magnus." 

"Can't do what—" 

Alec answered Magnus' question by pulling Magnus directly into his lap. Alec's mouth was soon pressed against Magnus' lips, as he took Magnus in for an explosive kiss. 

In that moment, Magnus could've sworn that he was seeing stars. 

Alec ran his hands down Magnus' back, delicately stroking his fingers against the fabric of Magnus' shirt—

Before lifting it over Magnus' head. 

Alec's fingers soon dipped under the hem of Magnus' pants, as he started to steadily push them down towards Magnus' knees— 

And Magnus grabbed Alec by the wrist, stopping his hand from going any further. "Wait! I...uh...I don't want you to get the wrong idea—" 

"Oh...Shit. I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. I thought you wanted to—" 

"No! It's not that, Alec. I mean, I do want to do... _something_. Just maybe not...this." Magnus pulled the condoms and the lube out of his pockets, before he grimaced down at his hands. "I just didn't want you to think that I just...walk around with condoms and lube in my pockets..." 

"Where'd you get that stuff from?" Alec stared at Magnus' hands with pure curiosity. 

"My friend..." Magnus blew out a breath, as he set _the supplies_ down near the bottom of the car. 

"Oh...I get it...So that's not your stuff...it just belongs to _your friend_." Alec chuckled underneath Magnus, before going back to pulling down Magnus' pants. "You don't have to lie, Magnus. If you wanted to hook up with Underhill, it's whatever—" 

"Okay, first of all, I'm not lying! My friend gave me this stuff! He's just unbelievably responsible when it comes to sex!" Magnus whined, trying his best to get his point across. "And second of all, if I was actually going to have sex today, it wouldn't have been with Underhill, it would've been with—" 

Magnus stuttered as he caught himself, not wanting to finish his sentence. "It...um...Just wouldn't have been with Underhill." 

"Is that...something you would...still want to do...with me?" Alec's question was low, as he gently placed kisses all along the crook of Magnus' neck. 

"Yes...but not...not here...not like this..." Magnus slightly pulled away from Alec's touch. "I'm so tired of it always being like _this_ between us. I just want something...more...real. Something more...official." 

"Tell me what you want, Magnus." 

"Where do you usually take girls? To make out? When you're pretending to be straight?" Magnus' voice was flat, as he glanced down at Alec. "Where's your favorite spot to lie to your girlfriends about your sexuality?" 

"Christ, Magnus! Why do you have to say it like that?" Alec couldn't help but laugh at Magnus' tone. "Um...Oh, fuck..." 

"What? What's wrong?" Magnus dragged his fingertips along Alec's jawline, causing Alec to shiver all over. 

"Do you have any big plans tomorrow night, Magnus?" 

"No...Why?" Magnus leaned closer towards Alec. "Where are you trying to take me?" 

"Home." Alec grinned up towards Magnus, before turning to kiss the side of Magnus' palm. 

"Home?" 

"Yes, Magnus Bane. Home. Tomorrow night, you should come over to my house for dinner." Alec grabbed onto Magnus' hand, as he ran his fingers across Magnus' knuckles. "I usually bring girls over first, before bringing them back to my room, fumbling around in the dark—" 

"Making love by moonlight..." Magnus finished Alec's sentence, while he smiled down at him. 

"Nope. Never got that far." Alec shrugged under Magnus, before offering Magnus a bright smile of his own. "You'd actually be my first..." 

Magnus was suddenly, incredibly nervous. "Your first? But...Alec...how?" 

Alec shrugged again, while moving his hands to Magnus' waist. "I French-kissed a girl at a party once...the rumors just kind of spread after that, and everyone just kind of assumed I was sleeping with...everyone. Even the girls I was with were accusing me of cheating on them with girls from other schools. I once heard a rumor about me having rough sex with the guidance counselor...and we'd somehow moved our fucking into the principal's office, too..."

"That rumor was pretty hot, though. God. I was so jealous of that guidance counselor." Magnus wistfully sighed, but it soon turned into a whimper, as he felt Alec's hand briefly run across the crotch of his pants. 

"We should probably head out...I'm just feeling a little...sensitive...right now." Magnus brought his hand down to cover his crotch, feeling slightly embarrassed by how easily Alec could make him hard. 

"Wait. I just wanted to give you something...before we go." Alec pulled Magnus down towards him again, as Alec buried his face in Magnus' neck. Soon, Alec was gently biting and sucking hard at Magnus' skin—

Until Alec suddenly pulled away, letting Magnus relax against the backseat. 

"Was that what you wanted to give me?" Magnus felt the skin on his neck, not really feeling anything at all... 

And his confusion showed through his voice. "Alec, what—" 

"Let's get you dropped off at home, Magnus." Alec smirked, as he stepped out of the car, hastily moving towards the driver's seat. 

"Actually...I was supposed to go to that magic show...with Underhill..." 

"As long as you show him your neck, we're good." Alec grinned again, as he started up the car. "Just give me the address." 

Magnus recited the address, while his curiosity ate at him from the inside out. 

Once Alec had gotten the car back on the road, Magnus picked up his phone and took a silent selfie. 

When he turned the phone's screen around to face him, Magnus was shocked into even further silence. 

There was now a huge, deep red hickey on Magnus' neck... 

Courtesy of Alec Lightwood. 

Alec noticed Magnus checking out his handiwork, able to clearly see Magnus' expression from the rear-view mirror. 

As Magnus' fingers traced over the hickey, a beautiful smile began to blossom across Magnus' face— 

And Alec then had the strangest thought—

He thought to himself that he wanted to be the one who made Magnus smile like that, for as long as Magnus would have him... 

Whether Magnus only wanted him for five minutes or five full years... 

Or maybe even...longer...than that... 

The thought caused a delightful chill to work its way through Alec's chest, before he turned his attention back to the winding road ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all! ^_^ Thank you so much for reading along with my lil' fic so far! I'll probably be taking a week or two off from updating, since IRL I'll be volunteering with a local non-profit and they have a big event coming up soon (I don't know how much time I'll have to write vs. sleep and I FUCKING LOVE sleeping). 
> 
> If you want to talk to me about my fics or fanfic stuff or pretty much anything Shadowhunters related (literally anything, I have no standards and I am obsessed with the show), you can find me on Tumblr [here](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Again, thank you all so much for reading! ^_^ This fandom is A M A Z I N G
> 
> Okay TTYL ♥♥♥


	9. People Like Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Underhill's mouth crashed against Magnus', as Underhill tried to move Magnus' hips as close as possible to his own. 
> 
> And just as Magnus' body realized what the fuck was happening— 
> 
> Just as Magnus began to push Underhill away— 
> 
> The bathroom door flew wide open. 
> 
> Lydia Branwell stepped inside but came to an immediate halt when she noticed Magnus and Underhill by the sink. 
> 
> She scoffed, before holding her hands against her side in a huff. "Underhill. _You fucking asshole_."

Magnus wiped sweat away from his forehead.

He was wearing an extremely thick turtleneck, while sitting on a bench in the quad.

The air surrounding him seemed to get hotter and hotter by the minute...

But  _this_ was the only way.

He had to hide the hickey on his neck.

Underhill hadn't even noticed it, thanks to the dark lighting of the magic show's theater and Magnus' unique ability to hold his palm against his neck for several hours...

And Magnus didn't feel like explaining it to him.

Or explaining it to Catarina.

Or explaining it to Ragnor.

It honestly felt too impossible to explain.

 _Alec Lightwood_  had given Magnus Bane a hickey—

And  _Alec Lightwood_ had invited Magnus Bane over tonight for a family dinner—

And, if everything went according to plan, Magnus Bane would spend some time in  _Alec Lightwood's_ bedroom—

Magnus smiled to himself, as he imagined kissing Alec all over his goddamn perfect face.

"You're hot." Underhill's voice cut straight through Magnus' thoughts. "And yes, I mean that in all ways possible..." He grinned as he took a step closer to Magnus, his eyes focused on Magnus' sweater. "Why are you wearing that, though? Aren't you dying from the heat?"

"Beauty is pain. Fashion is suffering." Magnus waved off Underhill's concern—

Before using that same hand to wipe more sweat away from his face.

When Magnus pulled his hand away from his cheeks, he saw the distinct stain of his makeup lined across his fingertips. "Fuck my life!" 

Underhill lightly chuckled, while crossing his arms against his chest. "You don't need all that stuff, anyway. I already know that you'd be pretty as hell without it. Anyone who can't see that is a fucking idiot." 

"You think I do this for  _other people_?" Magnus scoffed, as he rose to his feet. "Please. If all artists waited for _other people_ to start appreciating their art, there wouldn't be any art in the world."

"And what a work of art, you are, Magnus Bane." Underhill grinned—

And Magnus openly rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this! I need to go fix my face!"

"Then, let's go. I'll come with you." Underhill brightly smiled, before heading towards the school's nearest entrance. "I've always wondered how you got your eyeliner so perfect, anyway."

"Practice makes perfect, perfect takes practice." Magnus shrugged, before he fell in line beside Underhill, as they both headed towards the door.

****************

Magnus and Underhill were standing side by side in a completely empty bathroom. Magnus was leaning over the sink, his nose almost touching the square mirror on the wall. Underhill watched Magnus over his shoulder, seemingly enthralled by Magnus' makeup routine.

"When do you put the glitter on?" Underhill whispered his question, as he shifted slightly closer to Magnus.

"Uh...now? Usually?" Magnus leaned away from the mirror, as he reached down into his open backpack. He pulled out a small container of baby blue glitter, and another small container of face-safe gel. "Here. I can show you—"

"Actually, can I...uh...help?" Underhill slowly reached his hand towards Magnus' beauty supplies—

And Magnus gently pushed them towards Underhill. "Yeah, it's actually way better to practice on another person, anyway. But if you fuck up my face, I'm calling the  _cops_."

Underhill began to laugh—

But Magnus firmly shook his head. "I'm not joking, Underhill. I'll have you  _arrested_. You're not just going to  _kill my entire look_ and get away with it. Not in this town!"

"Oh my God, Magnus. Just. Let me work!" Underhill laughed again, as he cautiously opened up the gel. "Close your eyes."

Magnus grimaced, before doing what he was told. He could then feel Underhill's delicate touch wiping the gel along his eyeshadow. 

"You should be using a makeup brush...why aren't you using a makeup brush..." Magnus whined, as Underhill continued on with the process.

"You're such an art snob." There was a smile in Underhill's voice, before Magnus heard him opening up the container of glitter. Soon, Magnus felt Underhill lightly dabbing on the glitter, too...

"All done...I think?" Underhill set down the beauty supplies, before taking a step closer to Magnus. "Open your eyes."

Magnus slowly opened his eyes, as he turned towards the bathroom mirror—

Underhill had done a pretty good job for a newbie.

"Okay, I won't be calling the cops  _this time_." Magnus grinned over at Underhill—

Before Magnus felt a loose bit of glitter lodge itself directly into his eye.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Magnus shouted, as his body went into immediate defense mode. Unthinking, he instantly removed his contact lens, before running the faucet underneath him. Magnus then desperately threw a few splashes of water against his now-revealed eye.

"Fuck! I'm so sorry, Magnus! I—" Underhill's words were cut short, as he caught sight of Magnus without both of his contacts in.

Underhill thought that Magnus' eyes were...

They were...

Just...

_Fuck._

_"_ Fuck." Underhill repeated his previously internal monologue, as he quietly watched Magnus' now rapid blinking.

"It's okay, Underhill. This is on me. I should've told you about the safety hazards. Glitter is truly a beautiful nightmare—"

Underhill's mouth crashed against Magnus', as Underhill tried to move Magnus' hips as close as possible to his own.

And just as Magnus' body realized what the fuck was happening—

Just as Magnus began to push Underhill away—

The bathroom door flew wide open.

Lydia Branwell stepped inside but came to an immediate halt when she noticed Magnus and Underhill by the sink. 

She scoffed, before holding her hands against her side in a huff. "Underhill. _You fucking asshole_."

"Uh, what? What's going on with you two?" Magnus moved away from Underhill—

But Lydia only moved closer to them both, eventually standing directly in front of Underhill. "Is this the hill you really want to fucking die on? Is this how you want to spend our last year together? And I thought we were  _friends_."

Magnus awkwardly shuffled a little closer to the door. "Um...I don't really understand what's happening...and this seems like a popular kid thing...so...I'm just going to leave—"

"Come back here, Bane." Lydia's voice was nearly a growl—

And Magnus fearfully obeyed her command.

"Magnus, do you know what Alicante High has  _never had_ at prom? Come on, take a guess." Lydia's tone was saccharine, as she bared her teeth in a disingenuous smile.

"Good music?" Magnus shrugged, as he threw out a random suggestion.

"No."

"Good food?"

"No."

"Good taste?"

"No, Magnus Bane...God, you're awful at guessing." Lydia shook her head, as her cheeks flushed a deep red, revealing how upset she truly was. "Alicante High has never had  _gay royalty_. Like, ever. Can't you see, Bane? Can't you tell when you're being used? Underhill just wants to snatch a crown that  _he knows_ belongs to me and Alec..."

Lydia took a deep breath, needing to calm herself before she finished her sentence. "...And yeah, this asshole may not be as popular as me, but God forbid he walk around with  _you_ on his arm...his little, quirky, unpopular boyfriend...It'd be like a famous actor deciding to date a fucking librarian. People are going to eat that shit up! You'll win the Prom Court for fucking sure!"

"Underhill...?" Magnus shot a confused look over at Underhill, as he waited for him to respond.

"She's wrong, Magnus. I would never—"

"Oh, please! Magnus, let's be real here. In what universe would someone even  _mildly popular_ start talking to someone  _like you_? You're weird. Your friends are weird. And yeah, you're cute, but that doesn't make up for you generally being a freak. And, oh my God? Is that your natural eye color? Jesus Christ, Magnus! Isn't there anything  _normal_ about you?"

Lydia mournfully sighed, before she gently laid a hand on Magnus' shoulder. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but it's just the truth. You're just a phase...you'll always be a phase to people like Underhill, people like me...You're just not the kind of person that we can bring home. You don't fit in with people like us, and you never will. Sorry to rip off the band-aid."

"Okay." Magnus lightly nodded along with her words, as he quietly used the rest of his strength to keep himself from breaking down in front of her.

Magnus felt like Lydia had successfully stuck a knife right into his chest—

She'd successfully twisted it a few times, too.

And maybe she was right...

About Underhill. About Alec. About  _people like her_.

As Magnus felt his chest caving in, he hastily reached for his backup and makeup, carelessly throwing everything he owned back into the bag.

He needed to be  _anywhere but here._

And he needed to be there right now.

But, this time, Magnus didn't run.

Instead, he slowly made his way across the bathroom tiles, as he casually ignored Underhill screaming out his name.

*********************

Magnus found himself in the supply closet—

Silently weeping with his back to the wall.

His phone vibrated for what felt like the millionth time.

Catarina and Ragnor were wondering where he was...

But he just wanted to be all alone.

Lydia's words kept playing over and over and over in his head.

_You don't fit in with people like us and you never will._

As Magnus' body geared up for a fresh round of crying, Magnus heard the supply closet door open—

And of course, it was Alec.

Alec quickly closed the door behind him, before he moved over towards Magnus on the floor. "Magnus? Magnus, what happened?"

Magnus answered Alec with a small whimper.

"Did someone hurt you?" Alec's tone was low, as he looked over Magnus' frame. "Magnus, are you hurt?"

Magnus didn't respond, as he instead chose to tiredly close his eyes...

But Magnus' eyes soon went wide, once he felt Alec's hand tenderly running across his cheek. "Magnus...Who hurt you?" Alec's voice was gentle and light, even as Magnus saw a fire burning behind Alec's expression. "I just need a name, Magnus. Just tell me their name."

"Hmm. I don't think it would help your chance at being Prom King too much if word got out that you were planning on hitting  _a girl_." Magnus smirked through his tears, before moving Alec's hand away from his face. "I'll be fine, okay? Lydia Branwell just had some...opinions...about me, that she felt she needed to share."

"Opinions like what?" Alec knelt down closer to Magnus, close enough to press his lips against Magnus' still falling tears. "Tell me, Magnus."

"I don't really want to talk about it..." Magnus tried to pull his face away from Alec, as Magnus shifted against the wall. "Alec, please, stop. You don't have to do all of that—"

"I want to...I want to..." Alec quietly buried his face into the crook of Magnus' neck—

Before realizing that Magnus was wearing a rather heavy turtleneck sweater. 

Alec snorted with a laugh, as the purpose of Magnus' sweater immediately dawned on him. "What's wrong? You don't want people to know that you've been  _bookmarked_? Just for trying to hide it, I'm giving you another one to match."

"Alec..." Magnus ended up laughing, too, as he feebly moved his hands towards his own neck. "You're going to give me too many hickeys. I'm going to look like I've been in a fight."

"Yeah, in a fight  _with my mouth_. And my mouth always wins." Alec grinned up at Magnus—

And Magnus laughed even harder. "Alec, I'm serious..."

"Fine, fine. I'll be more careful this time." Alec blew out a hard breath—

Before gently lifting up Magnus' sweater—

As Alec's mouth pressed against Magnus' lower abdomen.

Alec tenderly ran his lips along Magnus' soft skin, causing Magnus to lightly shiver underneath Alec's touch.

"Is here good?" Alec quietly asked, before running his tongue along the same trail.

Between the emphatic weeping and the sudden rush of blood, Magnus felt like he'd completely run out of words. He answered Alec by lowly groaning, as Magnus' fingers went through Alec's dark hair.

"Good." Alec hastily went to work, sucking on Magnus' skin just hard enough—

And Alec soon pulled away from Magnus' stomach, as he wordlessly lowered Magnus' sweater. "There. That should work as a makeshift  _reservation_ for now. I'll have to finish you off after dinner tonight."

Magnus whimpered against the wall, wanting Alec to just  _finish him off right now_ —

But Alec was already back on his feet. "I'll pick you up a little bit later, okay?"

"Okay..." The word coming out of Magnus' mouth brought back way-too-recent painful memories. "What should I...wear...to dinner?"

"Ha! That's funny. _You_ asking  _me_ what you should wear." Alec smiled down at Magnus, before slightly tilting his head. "You know that I just want you to be yourself, right? Like...I don't want you pretending to fit in with my family or anything. I like  _you_ , Magnus. So...please...just be...you."

Magnus nodded, before taking in a shallow breath. "I'll try my best."

Alec smirked, as his hand headed for the doorknob—

But instead, he turned back towards Magnus. "Oh, just a heads up. You'll be meeting my sister, Isabelle, tonight, too."

"Wait, why does she require a heads up? Is she super homophobic or something?"

"Oh, God no. She's just...a lot like you. You might just have to share the stage for once." Alec gently chuckled, as he reached for the doorknob again, this time leaving the room.

" _Share the stage_? Not a chance in Hell." Magnus scoffed under his breath, before he gathered up his stuff, soon leaving the supply room himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — "hey didn't you say you weren't updating for two weeks???"  
> LEAVE ME ALONE MY POSTING SCHEDULE IS WILD!!! I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT TBH I CAN'T PREDICT MYSELF EITHER
> 
> — Lydia Branwell is really out here just hurting people's feelings SHE DOES NOT CARE
> 
> — #RiseMalecRise <3


	10. During This Next Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec gently chuckled, before moving behind Magnus to check his bedroom door— 
> 
> He checked the locks at least three times. 
> 
> Magnus was still distracted by Alec's ridiculously high ceiling and very wide skylight, which now gave Magnus a view of a twinkling constellation. "Wow. I've never seen anything like this in person before. Has this been installed in your room for your whole life or—" 
> 
> Magnus' question was interrupted by Alec roughly pulling Isabelle's jacket off his shoulders. "Sorry. I just don't want to think about my sister during this next part. That'd be so fucking gross." 
> 
> "During this next part—" 
> 
> Magnus was interrupted again by Alec suddenly lifting Magnus off the ground, as he carried Magnus towards his bed.

Magnus had gone for an outfit that was definitely conservative—

But in no way, shape or form was traditional. 

He was wearing a black tuxedo jacket, emblazoned with silver and gold trails all over the fabric... 

And his blouse underneath the tuxedo was quite iridescent, seemingly glittering when the light hit its edges.  

To match the importance of the occasion, Magnus had spray-painted his dark hair a bright lilac, completing the look with an actual lilac or two tucked behind his ear. 

Magnus was currently checking out his makeup in the passenger seat of Alec's car—

And Magnus softly cursed under his breath as the car swayed slightly to the left— 

Almost causing Magnus to drop his makeup brush on the floor below. 

"Sorry, sorry. My bad." Alec profusely apologized, before letting out a deep sigh. "I'm, uh, having trouble keeping my eyes on the road." 

"Why?" Magnus' question was genuine, as he finished applying his makeup for the evening. "Are you thinking about something else? Do you have a big game coming up or something?" 

"Magnus, are you kidding me?" Alec lightly chuckled, before tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. "Do you not know how  _amazing_  you look tonight?" 

"Oh...uh...thank you." Magnus smiled to himself, while he put away his makeup. "You told me to just...be myself...so...here we are." 

"So fucking pretty." Alec nearly whispered the words, as he forcefully tore his gaze away from Magnus, not wanting to crash the car before they made it back to his house. 

A few minutes later, Alec pulled up to the Lightwood Residence—

And Magnus' jaw immediately dropped. 

He knew Alec came from money... 

_But holy shit._   

Alec lived in a real life  _mansion._ The home was surrounded by a golden gate, apparently only accessible via a keypad's code. Alec calmly pressed the numbers, before the gate slowly opened before them. 

Once Alec drove them inside the gates, Magnus took in the almost unbelievable attention to detail on the home's white pillars. The pillars were carved with a multitude of scenes from Greek mythology, and even the balconies protruding from each of the home's higher levels were carved with famous scenes from various plays and stage shows.  

When Alec and Magnus were finally making their way out of the car, Magnus' knees almost buckled at the sight of an incredibly gorgeous detail in the home's entryway— 

Above Magnus' head, right when he first reached the front door, there was a crystal chandelier, somehow hanging on the exterior of the home. 

It was almost like it was just floating in mid-air... 

"Magnus, are you crying?" Alec gently nudged Magnus in the shoulder— 

And Magnus had to quickly wipe away an errant tear. "Sorry. Oh my God. It's all so beautiful." 

"I didn't know you appreciated architecture so much." Alec openly smirked over at Magnus.

Magnus ignored Alec's words, as he moved closer to the nearest pillar. He then emphatically threw his arms around its smooth surface, before pressing his face against it, too. "This is it...this is where I want to be buried..." 

"What was that, Magnus?" 

"Nothing. Just having a totally normal reaction to your lovely home." Magnus beamed over at Alec—

Before Magnus returned all of his attention back to the pillar. "When I am dead, I will come back for you, my love. I will haunt these halls, just to remind them of  _your beauty—_ " 

"Jesus Christ, Magnus. It's just a house." Alec scoffed, before gently pushing Magnus away from the pillar. "Also, stop pledging your eternal love to that goddamn pillar. I'm starting to get like...jealous." 

"You  _should_ be jealous, Alec. This pillar and I have a love like no other..." Magnus wistfully sighed, as he turned to face the front door. "Also, how does this work? Do you use keys or do we have to wait for your butler to get the door or—" 

The door suddenly flew open, as Isabelle Lightwood widely grinned up at her brother. 

Isabelle was wearing a glossy red jacket, with an intricate, see-through black tank underneath. Her look was completed with a very tight pair of leather pants, and her dark hair was nearly radiant, as its shine competed with the stars in the sky... 

Magnus was left speechless. 

"Hey, big bro. Who's this?" Isabelle nodded over towards Magnus, before she turned to face him herself. "Since when do you have friends who know how to  _dress themselves_? God, you're a stunning stranger." 

"Can I...Can I see your closet?" Magnus finally found his voice again, as he took a step closer to Isabelle. "Also, can I borrow that jacket someday?" 

"That depends. Can I borrow your jacket, like,  _tonight_?" Isabelle grinned, as she took Magnus' hand into one of her own, giddily leading him inside the house— 

And casually letting the door slam shut in Alec's face. 

"What the hell is going on? You two don't even know each other's names!" Alec's tone was lined with both confusion and annoyance, as he finally stepped over the home's threshold. 

********** 

Magnus and Isabelle had now switched jackets, as they sat side by side at the dining room table. 

"I can't believe you're Alec's friend. You're just...way too amazing." Isabelle gushed over Magnus, before excitedly clasping her hands together. "Ooh, we should go shopping next weekend. My dad's letting me use his unlimited credit card now—" 

"Izzy. No." Alec shook his head, while seated across from Magnus and Isabelle. " _Unlimited_ doesn't mean irresponsible. Dad gave us all a limit.'' 

"How much Chanel does dad really think that I can buy with a $5000 limit per month?" Isabelle rolled her eyes, as if her father was being completely unreasonable—

And Magnus joined her in the eye-roll. "Yeah, how much Chanel does your dad really think that  _we can buy_ with a $5000 limit per month? What the hell, Alec's dad?" 

"Magnus! Don't encourage her!" Alec groaned, before sinking into his seat. "I knew that it was a bad idea to let you two ever meet each other. You're both going to bankrupt this family." 

"Hmm. It's funny how he said that...it was almost like Alec thinks you're part of our family, too...Isn't that funny, Magnus?" Isabelle moved her long hair behind her back, with a very conspicuous wink. 

"Uh...Isabelle, I don't—" Magnus tried to steer her away from the topic—

But instead, Isabelle blew out a raspberry. "Don't waste your breath lying to me, new bestie. I can tell that my brother likes you. He hasn't taken his eyes off you since we got in." 

Isabelle giggled to herself, as she shot a look over at Alec. "I, for one, am overjoyed that you finally decided to bring a  _boy home_. And I really like this one, so don't fuck it up. Oh, and maybe don't stare at Magnus so much...You know, if you're still trying to hide the whole 'being gay' thing from our parents." 

"I'm not staring..." Alec darted his eyes away from Magnus, desperately trying to force his focus somewhere else. 

"And just how in the world do  _you_ know my child?" Maryse's sharp voice cut through the conversation, as she stared directly down at Magnus. "You don't seem like the rest of his friends...And I don't think I've ever seen you on the archery team...I'm oh-so-very curious about how you two met." 

Magnus' mind immediately went back to the closet— 

Staying there for an extra minute or two— 

And Magnus loudly coughed to cover for the awkward silence. "Sorry. Uh...I'm his elective tutor?" 

"Which elective?" Maryse took her seat at the head of the table, pushing her chair further beneath it. "I know my Alec is so busy, nowadays, maybe he neglected to tell his mother about his newfound interest in...something." 

"...Magic..." Magnus quietly nodded after his own lie, attempting to convince everyone at the table. "Yes. I...Magnus Bane...teach...Alec Lightwood...how to do magic tricks. Yes." 

"Well, that sounds positively delightful." Robert Lightwood chimed into the conversation, as he walked towards the other head of the table.  

"It sounds atrocious." Maryse grimaced, while she templed her palms. "But...if my Alec believes it'll somehow be beneficial to his future...What can I say?" 

"You can say  _grace_ , Maryse." Robert smiled over at his wife, before he templed his own palms, as well.  

Magnus quickly got the message, as he bowed his head in prayer— 

But halfway through Maryse's long-winded praying, Magnus looked up to catch a glimpse of Alec from across the table—

And Alec's eyes were wide open, too, as they openly stared right back into Magnus' own gaze— 

Magnus soon closed his eyes again, as a wide smile spread all over his face. 

*****************  

"You would tell me if you were secretly a prince or something, right?" Magnus kept his voice low, as his eyes scanned Alec's over-sized bedroom. "This isn't one of those things where you can't tell me you're a prince until we're engaged or something? Is it?" 

"No." Alec gently chuckled, before moving behind Magnus to check his bedroom door—

He checked the locks at least three times. 

Magnus was still distracted by Alec's ridiculously high ceiling and very wide skylight, which now gave Magnus a view of a twinkling constellation. "Wow. I've never seen anything like this in person before. Has this been installed in your room for your whole life or—" 

Magnus' question was interrupted by Alec roughly pulling Isabelle's jacket off his shoulders. "Sorry. I just don't want to think about my sister during this next part. That'd be so fucking gross." 

"During this next part—" 

Magnus was interrupted  _again_ by Alec suddenly lifting Magnus off the ground, as he carried Magnus towards his bed. 

Magnus laughed, as he fell against the gentle fabric. Alec wasn't too far behind him, as he now hovered over Magnus, sharing in Magnus' earlier laughter. 

"Yeah, I don't think I want you thinking about your sister during this next part, either." Magnus smiled up at Alec, before wrapping his arms around Alec's neck, pulling him down into a lengthy, fervent kiss. 

Soon, Magnus felt Alec purposely grinding his hips down into Magnus' own... 

And the repeated motion made Magnus softly moan. Magnus quickly moved a hand to his own mouth, as he slightly winced. "Sorry! Sorry! I'll be quiet now." 

"It's okay..." Alec pressed down into Magnus again, before grazing his teeth along Magnus' neck. "I'll let you know when you get too loud..." 

" _When?_ " Magnus looked up at Alec, his eyes filled with a question—

But Alec was already out of Magnus' line of sight, as Alec swiftly moved down Magnus' body, easily sliding down Magnus' black slacks. 

Magnus made the very wise decision to hold a nearby pillow over his face, as Alec's tongue soon slid against Magnus' shaft. 

Magnus found that the pillow truly aided in his efforts to not scream his lungs out, as Alec steadily bobbed his head up and down, keeping up an extremely pleasurable pace. 

"I'm dying..." Magnus quietly groaned, as he felt Alec press his own forearms against Magnus' thighs, keeping Magnus in place on the bed. "Alec...I'm dying..." 

"Mmhmm. You deserve to die, Magnus. I want you to die in my mouth."  

"Alec, oh my God. That was the worst dirty talk I've ever heard in my life." Magnus broke out into a laugh, before he suddenly needed to press his face further into the pillow— 

As Alec increased the speed of his mouth, like he was daring Magnus to go over the edge. 

Magnus soon took Alec up on his dare, as he came to a finish, Magnus' body now slightly shaking and slick with sweat. 

"Can we...can I...Can I have you now?" Alec kissed the inside of Magnus' thigh, after he asked his question. "Do you...uh...want me to have you?" 

Magnus firmly nodded, as he hastily slid off his own shirt. He watched as Alec quickly took his clothes off, too, until they were both naked in front of each other, for the very first time. 

"I missed your tattoos." Magnus offered Alec a wry grin— 

Alec returned the expression with a grin of his own. "Maybe I'll take you to the tattoo shop one day...but probably not. I think I like you...exactly like this."  

"Ah, so you like me bare, naked and waiting..." 

"Yes  _and_ yes  _and_ yes." Alec grinned again, before bending to tenderly plant a kiss on Magnus' lips. "Hey...Are you sure this is what you want, Magnus?" 

"Stop asking me if I want you when you already know the answer." Magnus whined, as he ran his fingertips along Alec's sides. "I want you, Alec Lightwood." 

"I want you, too, Magnus Bane..." Alec quietly reached for a drawer in his bedside dresser— 

Before cautiously pulling out a condom.  

Magnus watched, completely captivated, as Alec carefully rolled down the condom. 

Alec didn't look back over at Magnus when he was finished, instead reaching for a small bottle of lube. Alec turned the bottle in his hand, until he could read the label. He mumbled to himself for a few seconds, before squirting some lube out onto his palm. 

He delicately kissed Magnus' thigh for a second time, before pushing both of Magnus' thighs back towards the bed. 

Magnus closed his eyes, as he waited for the cool sensation of the lube... 

And once he felt that familiar sensation, he then patiently waited for that blissfully-full feeling... 

And Magnus didn't have to wait for too long. 

Alec groaned, as he carefully pushed inside Magnus—

And Magnus loudly whimpered. 

"Sorry! Sorry! Fuck, am I hurting you—" 

Magnus shook his head, while his hands gripped onto Alec's bedsheets. "No...it's...just...really good...for me. Is it...good...for you, too?" 

"Yes. You feel...um..." Alec's words trailed off, as his hips found their rhythm. "Fuck...you feel..." 

Alec leaned closer to Magnus, wanting to go deeper and deeper... 

And Magnus' hands went from the bed-sheets— 

Straight to Alec's back. 

"Alec..." Magnus moaned Alec's name, as it felt like every nerve ending Magnus had was on fire. His brain was barely functioning, so slowed down that it couldn't even control what was coming out of Magnus' mouth. "I think...I'm...falling in love...with you..." 

Alec seemed to ignore Magnus' confession, and a part of Magnus desperately hoped that Alec was just too blissed out to have heard it. 

A few seconds later, Alec slightly trembled above Magnus, and Magnus let out a tired sigh. 

Fuck. 

Why didn't Alec say this was a sleepover? 

Magnus just wanted to roll over and go to bed. 

Alec carefully pulled away from Magnus, before gingerly rolling off the condom and chucking it into his bedside trashcan. 

He then lied down beside Magnus, choosing to rest on his stomach— 

And Magnus' eyes went wide as he looked over the bright red scratches on Alec's back. "Holy shit...Holy shit! Did I do that to your back?" 

"Yeah...but it felt good...making you lose control like that..." Alec smiled against his pillow, before pulling on Magnus' arm, encouraging Magnus to move in closer. 

When Magnus was close enough, Alec wrapped his arm around Magnus' waist, while softly kissing Magnus on his shoulder.  

"I'll take you home in a few minutes...I just need a quick breather." Alec took in a deep sigh, that hastily turned into a yawn. "Fuck. Maybe I need some coffee, too." 

"If you have coffee, make me some, too." Magnus closed his eyes, as he leaned into Alec's pillow. "Or just bury me outside by that pillar...God, I love that pillar..." 

"Mmhmm. You're in love with that pillar...I'm in love with you...Why does life have to be so complicated..."  

"Alec...what did you just say?" Magnus opened his eyes to look over at Alec—

But Alec was already fast asleep, slightly snoring against the headboard... 

Suddenly, Magnus wasn't feeling so tired. 

He felt wired beyond belief, as he silently stared at Alec's sleeping figure, not exactly sure why he couldn't stop his own invasive gaze... 

Was Magnus was just waiting for Alec to wake up? 

Or maybe he was just waiting for Alec to say he was just joking... 

Or maybe he was just waiting for Alec to  _say it again and again and again..._  

Magnus really had no idea why he continued to stare and stare and stare...

But he kept his eyes focused on Alec, all the same.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> w h a t e v e r
> 
> I'm not going to edit this chapter I like it how it is
> 
> if you hate it, feel free to leave 
> 
> This entire day has been a most unpleasant experience


	11. Everything Will Be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _**Magnus**_ : I saw you naked.
> 
> _**Alec:**_ I know, Magnus, I was there :) 
> 
> _**Magnus**_ : And then you said that you're in love with me... 
> 
> _**Alec**_ : Yeah, I was there for that part, too. Why are you texting me this recap? 
> 
> _**Magnus**_ : AM I BEING PRANKED 
> 
> _**Alec**_ : What? You think I had _sex with you_ as a...prank? 
> 
> _**Magnus**_ : I DON'T KNOW I DON'T UNDERSTAND MY LIFE RIGHT NOW 
> 
> _**Alec**_ : WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING? 
> 
> _**Magnus**_ : BECAUSE I NEED HELP CALL THE POLICE 
> 
> _**Alec**_ : I DON'T NEED TO CALL THE POLICE. I CAN RESTRAIN YOU MYSELF. 
> 
> Magnus giggled down at his phone screen— 
> 
> Before Lydia Branwell suddenly appeared beside him in the hallway.

**_Magnus:_** I saw you naked. 

_**Alec:**_ I know, Magnus, I was there :) 

_**Magnus:**_ And then you said that you're in love with me... 

_**Alec:** _ Yeah, I was there for that part, too. Why are you texting me this recap? 

_**Magnus** :_ AM I BEING PRANKED 

**_Alec:_** What? You think I had  _sex with you_ as a...prank? 

**_Magnus:_** I DON'T KNOW I DON'T UNDERSTAND MY LIFE RIGHT NOW 

**_Alec:_** WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?  

**_Magnus:_** BECAUSE I NEED HELP CALL THE POLICE 

**_Alec:_** I DON'T NEED TO CALL THE POLICE. I CAN RESTRAIN YOU MYSELF. 

Magnus giggled down at his phone screen— 

Before Lydia Branwell suddenly appeared beside him in the hallway.  

Magnus hastily tucked his phone into his pocket, as Lydia let out an exasperated sigh. 

"Hi, Magnus." Lydia's tone was sweet, before she held out her arms, offering Magnus a wide hug. "Come here. Don't be shy, cutie pie." 

Magnus nervously stepped into her arms, keeping his arms firmly by his side. "Lydia...What is this?" 

"I know, Magnus." 

"...What?" Magnus' voice shook with fear, as he went completely still in their embrace. "What are you talking—" 

"I saw Alec's texts. All of them. He always leaves his phone on the bench before practice...it took a few tries to get the password right, but I've watched him unlock his screen a billion times..." Lydia emphatically pouted over Magnus' shoulder. "What's it like being in love with someone who won't hold your hand in the hallway? That must be so awful for you."  

"Since when do you care about how I _feel_ , Lydia?" Magnus scoffed, before trying to get away from her arms—

But she only held onto Magnus even tighter. "You're right. I didn't care how you felt...until I realized something. Underhill had the right idea with you, Bane. You're a lovable, little loser. You're  _my_ lovable, little loser." 

"Lydia—" 

"You're not going to be Underhill's boyfriend, Bane. You're going to be mine. Just until prom. Then, I promise I'll leave you alone for the rest of your life." 

"No." Magnus now forcefully exited their embrace, before leaning back against his locker. "Fuck no." 

"You're not thinking this through..." Lydia sighed, as she folded her arms behind her back. "Magnus, if you're around me...you'll be around Alec, too. At least that way you'll actually get to spend time together...And no one will think it's suspicious that you're eating lunch with  _us_  now. Doesn't that sound amazing?"  

As Lydia continued on, her face lit up into a warm smile. "Magnus, this can work out for all of us. You and Alec get to be around each other, and I'm going to win that fucking crown! God, I can't wait to tell everyone that my new boyfriend's bisexual. People are going to call me The Woke Queen of Alicante High—" 

"Don't bother telling people that your  _new boyfriend_ is bisexual, because my answer is still fucking no." Magnus firmly shook his head, before gently patting his hands against his sides. "Anyway, I have to go meet Catarina in the library. Talk to you  _never_ , Lydia—" 

"Why does everyone always make me do this the hard way? I'm just trying to help you idiots." Lydia openly rolled her eyes, before pulling a bright pink scrunchie out of her pocket. "Either you sign up as my boyfriend so I can win this fucking crown, or I tell Alec that I saw you and Underhill fucking in the bathroom." 

"What makes you think that he'll believe you?" Magnus lowered his voice, as his nerves found their way into his tone.  

"He probably won't. Which is why, I wouldn't really be telling Alec directly. I'd be telling the entire school. Rumors spread so fast here...Alec will eventually get the message. And once I get Underhill on board, too—" 

"Underhill wouldn't do that to me...Would he?" Magnus' heart was now running rampant behind his chest... 

Because he didn't know the answer to his own terrifying question. 

Lydia shrugged, as she pulled her flowing, blonde hair through her scrunchie. "Haven't asked him yet, sweetie. All I know is that Underhill cares about his reputation, too. And it's so obvious how much he's into you. He might want people to think that you two are hooking up on a regular basis." 

"But I would never hurt Alec like that. There's no way he could believe that—" 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you already tell him about your  _kiss_ with Underhill? I may have missed that in your texts. I can check again though—" 

"I didn't kiss Underhill! He kissed me! I didn't want to—" 

"Okay, Bane. If you really think that telling your boyfriend that you didn't fuck Underhill...but you  _did_ kiss Underhill...If you really think that's going to work out well for you, sweetie, then go for it! Who knows? Maybe Alec will believe you." Lydia's expression was pure honey, before offering Magnus a goodbye wave. "Let me know what you decide! Have an awesome day, cutie pie." 

Magnus stood frozen in the hallway, as he watched Lydia cheerily turn a corner and disappear... 

But the ice soon left his veins, when he realized that there was only one way to beat Lydia at her own fucked up game. 

Magnus quickly shot off a text to Catarina, letting her know that he wasn't going to make it to the library— 

Before he headed for the nearest exit door.  

***************** 

"Guess who officially had his heart broken by Lydia Branwell?" Alec loudly laughed as he stepped into the supply closet. "She broke up with me before practice. She made a whole show out if it and everything. I guess she found another path to Prom Queen victory, huh?" 

Magnus quietly leaned against the wall, as he desperately averted his gaze away from Alec Lightwood. "I...have something to tell you." 

"Oh...Is it about...our night together...Did I do something wrong?" Alec's tone was quiet, as he decided to match Magnus' obviously somber mood. "Or...um...Did you want to take back what you said?" 

"What I said?" Magnus was still avoiding Alec's gaze. 

"Yeah...What you said about...being in love with me..." Alec's voice caught in his throat, while he steadily watched Magnus. "Please don't take that back..." 

"No. I'm in love with you, Alec. And I don't ever want to take that back." Magnus finally looked up at Alec, who was standing much, much closer than Magnus originally realized. 

Alec slowly bent to give Magnus a gentle kiss. "Then it's okay...I think as long as we're in love with each other...everything will be okay." 

"Underhill kissed me." 

"...What?"  

"Underhill kissed me...in the school bathroom...um...the same day we went to your house. Lydia walked in on it, too." 

"What the hell were you doing in the bathroom with him, anyway?" Alec's question was lined with aggression, even though he was trying very hard to remain calm... 

Alec knew that Magnus would never hurt him on purpose. 

Because Magnus wouldn't do that... 

_Would he?_  

"I was just fixing my face and he tagged along. I don't know, he said he wanted to watch me do my makeup. And then he asked if he could put the glitter on, but he fucked it up and it got in my eye, so I had to take my contacts out—" Magnus was rambling, but he couldn't stop himself. He just wanted to make sure that Alec knew the whole truth, that Alec knew everything that happened in that god-forsaken bathroom. 

"So, he saw your eyes, too?" Alec's tone was suddenly so stoic... 

Magnus reached down for Alec's hand—

But Alec slightly moved his palm out of Magnus' reach. "Magnus...Did you do anything else with him..." 

"Alec—" 

"Fuck...Fuck!" Alec forcefully took in a deep breath, before letting out a pained laugh. "Was I your second fucking choice? This entire time? And then what? You accidentally fell in love with me along the way?" 

"Alec, nothing else happened—" 

"Hmm. Well, it took you about a day to remember that you fucking kissed him, so maybe in a few more days, you'll finally remember  _fucking him_ , too." 

"Oh my God." It was now Magnus' turned to let out a pained laugh. "You're such a fucking asshole." 

"Oh, I'm  _sorry_. My boyfriend just told me that he kissed another guy—" 

"First of all, I'm not your fucking boyfriend because you never fucking asked me to be. Second of all, I didn't tell you that I kissed another guy. I told you that another guy kissed me. And I only told you any of this, because Lydia, your  _ex-girlfriend,_ wants to blackmail me into going out with her. If I didn't sign up to be her bisexual piece of arm candy, she was going to tell everyone that I had sex with Underhill in the bathroom and I just wanted to tell you the fucking truth—"  

Magnus stopped himself, as he softly closed his eyes.  

"Magnus, are you okay?" Alec's previous anger was overridden by his genuine concern, as he gently rested his hands against Magnus' sides. "Magnus, say something. Please." 

Magnus gradually opened his eyes, while making sure to look directly into Alec's own. "I'm tired...I love you, but I'm tired. I don't want to do this anymore." 

"No, you're right, Magnus...We shouldn't even be fighting...I was just being an asshole...I just didn't know how to take it—" 

"It's not about the fight, Alec...The fight wouldn't even be happening if you just...If we could just..." Magnus reached for Alec's hand again— 

And this time, Alec easily gave Magnus his palm—

But as soon as their skin touched, Magnus knew that it was...time.

It was time to let it all go...

Before everything fell apart on its own. 

"Did you have a good time at practice today?" Magnus' words came out quiet, while he looked down at the floor. 

"It went fine." Alec shrugged, before lightly kissing the shirt fabric on Magnus' shoulder. 

"And how was your day going...before that?" Magnus looked back up at Alec, but there were now clearly tears in Magnus' eyes... 

And the full force of the sudden realization took all the air right out of Alec's lungs. "Magnus. Stop." 

"I just want our last conversation to be...nice." Magnus struggled to say the words, as he gently squeezed Alec's hand. "I'm not going to force you to come out for me...That would be beyond fucked up...You should come out when you're ready...And I just hope that when you finally make the decision...Maybe you'll still want something to do with me..." 

"Magnus—" 

Magnus quietly unthreaded his fingers from Alec's, before he took a step towards the door. "If you...um...if you ever need...Fuck. Sorry." Magnus had to pause his own train of thought, as his voice got stuck in his chest, like it barely wanted to speak another word... 

Everything was just so painful... 

"Um, if you ever need to talk..." Magnus managed to force the words out of his mouth, as his hand reached for the doorknob. "We can still...talk..." 

"I can't...do this. I can't be without you...Please don't make me do this..." Alec's tone was soft, while his eyes focused on Magnus' hand on the door. "Magnus—" 

"Alexander." Magnus offered Alec one last, playful grin. "I always liked your first name, you know. Never really got why you shortened it."  

Magnus shrugged before stepping through the closet door—

For what had to be the final time. 

**************** 

"Fuck! What the fuck happened to Magnus?" Ragnor crouched down to where Catarina was sitting in the parking lot. She was leaning against Ragnor's car, with her back to one of his tires, as she held a weeping Magnus in her arms. 

"Did someone die?" Ragnor whispered his next question, before softly running a comforting hand down Magnus' back. "Magnus, I'm...I'm so sorry..." 

"He'll be okay..." Catarina whispered now, too, as she bent to tenderly run her own hand through Magnus' hair. "You'll be okay, Magnus. I promise." 

"So...what happened..." Ragnor slumped down beside Catarina, soon moving as close to her as possible. "I know that Magnus cries basically all the time...but not like...this..." 

"Magnus broke up with Mystery Man." 

"Shit. He must've loved him or something." 

"I did." Magnus' words came out muffled against the fabric of Catarina's shirt. "I did, I did, I did..." 

"So...what...uh...breakup? Why?" Ragnor was struggling to find his words, as he looked down at Magnus' frame.  

"Because closets are for clothes. Not for people." Magnus finished his weeping with a sniffle, as he moved away from Catarina. "That's something people say, right? I didn't just make that up?" 

"Well, even if you did, it was still pretty good, man." Ragnor offered Magnus a bright smile. "And you're right. Closets are for clothes. Fuck anyone who tries to force you back into one. You deserve better than that. You deserve to be loved...outside of a closet." 

"Outside of a closet?" Catarina lightly chuckled, as she looked over at her boyfriend. "Ragnor, baby, what does that mean?" 

"Yeah, Ragnor, what the hell does that mean? You think I've just been blowing the guy in a literal closet this whole time?" Magnus scoffed, before letting out another sniffle. "I mean, you're  _right_  but still." 

"What the fuck, Magnus? You were  _literally_ blowing this guy in a closet?" Catarina's jaw hung open in surprise. 

"Yeah. And after the first time I did it, I swallowed his come by mistake." 

Ragnor quietly closed his eyes, as he tried his best not to laugh at his heartbroken friend—

But his laugh soon came roaring out of him, as he crossed his arms over his sides. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was trying not to laugh but what the fuck, Magnus." 

"The first time he gave me a handjob, I told him that I loved him." 

"Magnus,  _no._ Magnus,  _oh my God_." Catarina broke out into a laugh, now, too. "Babe, why?  _Why_?" 

"I'm happy you two are having such a good time _laughing at my life_." Magnus smirked over at Catarina, before stretching his arms out into the air. 

Which in turn caused a deck of his playing cards to gracelessly shuffle out of his jacket pocket— 

And they were soon carried away by the wind, blowing right out of the parking lot and into the sky above... 

Magnus, Catarina and Ragnor all quietly looked between each other—

Before they shared in their familiar, potentially-obnoxious laughter, the friends barely able to contain themselves for another second. 

"Alright. I think I'm done crying in public. At least for today." Magnus rose to his feet, as he took in a shallow breath. "Ragnor, take me to tacos. I'm going to eat my feelings."  

"Yay! Carbs! Carbs! Carbs! Carbs!" Catarina chanted, as she easily slid into the Jeep's backseat.  

"Why is she so excited...she eats carbs all the time..." Ragnor spoke his thoughts under his breath, as he moved to the driver's seat. "She was eating burgers last night..." 

"Ragnor, why aren't we eating tacos yet?" Magnus whined, as he threw his head back against the seat. "Ragnor, come onnnn. I'm saddddd." 

"Come on, baby, our Magnus is sad." Catarina pouted, before she leaned her head against Magnus' shoulder. "You're killing him, Ragnor." 

Ragnor chuckled to himself, as he turned the key in the ignition. "Alright. Let's all go to tacos." 

Magnus and Catarina cheered from the backseat, while Ragnor pulled out of the parking lot. 

When everyone had settled into their usual groove, with Ragnor blasting his tunes along the highway and Catarina peacefully scrolling through her phone... 

And even as Magnus' heart incessantly ached in the background of his chest...

Magnus realized that right here, in the backseat of Ragnor's Jeep, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm and comfort.

And he had a thought that nearly shook him to his core.  

Magnus realized that  _this_  is what love really looks like. 

_This_  is what love really feels like. 

Calming. Comforting... 

Safe.  

With no judgment. No hiding. No fucking lies. 

Magnus openly watched Catarina— 

Until she eventually looked up from her phone. "What's up, babe?" 

"I love you, Catarina." 

"I love you, too, Magnus." Catarina smiled as she nodded towards the driver's seat. "And Ragnor loves you, too." 

"Definitely, dude. You're lovable as fuck." Ragnor nodded, while he kept his eyes on the road. 

"Right back at you, Ragnor." Magnus grinned, before playfully rolling his eyes. "Okay, that was all I had to say. You can go back to ignoring me now." 

"Nobody was ignoring—" Catarina didn't even finish her sentence, before she was once again distracted by her phone's notification sound.  

Ragnor seemed to be in his own world, too, as he quietly sang along with the radio. 

And Magnus smiled to himself, while he sank further down into his seat, soon falling into the most restful sleep he'd had in weeks. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — EVERYTHING WAS NOT OKAY I AM FILLED WITH LIES AND MISDIRECTION 
> 
> — why did I write this tbh THIS WAS JUST A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE ALL AROUND although Magnus basically turning into the hand-clap emoji while calling Alec out was n i c e 
> 
> — I feel like someone should ask The Woke Queen of Alicante High why she's willing to do all of this for a plastic crown??? Is anyone ever going to figure out what her deal is or??? SHE'S BLACKMAILING PEOPLE LIKE IT'S NORMAL FOR HER I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HER LIFESTYLE


	12. You Were Born To Be Great

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You fucking sucked out there, man." Underhill's voice bounced off the empty locker room's walls, as he beamed up at Alec. "You finally ready to quit the team or what?" 
> 
> "Not today, Underhill." Alec kept his voice low, as he moved to get his backpack out of his designated locker. "I don't want to do this with you today." 
> 
> "What's wrong? You and Magnus break up or something?" Underhill casually suggested the thought, while he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess that kiss went better than I thought..." 
> 
> "Yeah, you must be pretty proud of yourself. Kissing someone else's boyfriend is a real achievement for an asshole like you. Personally, I think it's pathetic, but, you know, you should follow your fucked-up heart." Alec had finally opened up his locker and taken out his backpack—
> 
> Just before Underhill violently slammed it shut in front of him.

Alec woke up two hours earlier than his morning alarm.

He always did.

It was a habit that he'd picked up during his childhood, something his father had gifted him from his own time in the military.

Robert Lightwood used to always say that the man who rose the earliest, was so often the one to conquer his enemies...

Alec squinted over at his bedside clock.

It quietly displayed the time in bright red:  _5:00AM_

_Conquer his enemies..._

Alec scoffed at the thought.

Who was there to conquer? 

His enemies wouldn't be up for at least another two hours.

Alec had yet to meet another archer, from Alicante High or anywhere else, who consistently woke up at 5 fucking AM.

Alec deeply sighed, as he made his way downstairs for some semblance of breakfast. 

By the time he reached the kitchen, he'd settled on taking spiritless bites out of yet another green apple...

He hadn't eaten a bowl of cereal for breakfast in nearly four whole years.

Not since he started eating  _for the team_. Alec knew that he was always expected to pick up their slack, to make up for everyone else's dietary mistakes. If someone moved too slow, it was on Alec to make up the difference. If someone felt too groggy, it was up to Alec to always be alert and always be awake...

As Alec moved to throw the apple's core in the trash, he heard the familiar sound of graceful footsteps running down the hallway—

And landing straight in the kitchen.

"Alec! You're awake!" Isabelle grinned, as she excitedly jumped up and down. She then took a few steps closer to Alec, with her grin still plastered across her face. "How do I look? Is this a winner or what?"

Alec silently looked Izzy up and down—

She was wearing a fitted, fuchsia dress...it was something new in her closet...and obviously expensive...

But she just looked so happy...

Alec decided against his usual course of action, which was to remind Isabelle that she would be the sole reason for the Lightwoods' future bankruptcy.

Instead, he offered his sister a bright smile in return. "You look beautiful, Isabelle."

"... _And_?" Isabelle tilted her head to the side, as she templed her fingers underneath her chin. "Isn't this the part where you tell me that I need to learn about  _discipline_? Or are you feeling like giving me a lecture on  _sacrifice_ , instead?" Isabelle playfully stuck out her tongue, before hopping up on the kitchen counter.

"No." Alec shrugged, as he leaned against the double oven. "I just think you look nice... _and_ that's all."

"Oh...Well, thank you." Izzy smiled over at her brother, before blowing out a loud raspberry. "Hey. Weird question. Can you give me a ride to school?"

"What? Iron Sisters of Mercy is halfway across town." Alec lightly groaned, as he crossed his arms against his chest. "What happened to your car, Izzy?"

"Dad said that he was going to get it fixed...Guess he just forgot?" Isabelle shrugged, before lowering her gaze towards the kitchen floor. "It was his girlfriend's birthday last weekend...so I guess he was just...super busy."

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I'll take you to school. And I'll call the mechanic for you, too. I'll just skip lunch or something." 

"Thanks, big bro." Isabelle jumped off the counter and quickly moved towards Alec, as she leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I love you, I love you, I love you, too." Alec gently laughed, as Isabelle's repeated "I love yous" reminded him of when she was just a little kid, trying to get a bite of his sandwich, trying to get a turn on his bike, trying to follow him into the swimming pool, even when she couldn't swim yet...

"Okay. I'm headed back upstairs to study for a little bit."

"Don't you want to eat something for breakfast, Izzy?"

"Nope! I never eat breakfast before a big test. Like mom always says, you can't get into a _good college_ when you have  _bad habits_."

"Yeah, but you can't get into  _any college_ if you're dead."

"God, Alec. I'm not going to _die_  because I skipped a meal—"

"Whatever. Just come back downstairs in like an hour or something. I'll make your favorite."

"Strawberry pancakes? Really?" Isabelle's eyes lit up with genuine excitement, as she giddily clasped her hands together. "Okay, I'll be back in an hour! I promise!"

Isabelle hastily ran back towards the staircase, and Alec smiled to himself.

It didn't seem to matter how old Isabelle got. She was somehow always going to be his  _little sister._

While Alec searched through their vast cabinets for the proper ingredients, he felt a very gentle kick behind his knee. 

"Boom! You're dead, Alec." Max's voice boomed through the room, before he victoriously chuckled. "You really suck at situational awareness. Dad said it was always your weak spot."

"Oh, right...I suck at situational awareness...that's why I noticed you creeping behind the couch as soon as I turned around to face the cabinets..." Alec smirked down at his little brother, as he moved the necessary ingredients towards the stove. "I think you may have failed your intel lesson, little brother. Has dad gone over that stuff with you yet?"

"Not yet." Max shook his head, as he peeped over at the stove. "Hey, are you making breakfast?"

"Yeah, I'm making strawberry pancakes. Did you want some?"

"No..." Max wistfully sighed, before looking up at Alec. "But...Can I have some French toast, instead?"

"Are you allowed to have French toast?" Alec's tone was stern, as he placed a pan on the stove. "No way that's allowed in dad's mini-military-man plan."

"You're right...it's not allowed..." Max gradually backed away from the stove—

But Alec waved him back over towards him. "I'm just messing with you, Max. Yes, you can have some French toast. It'll be ready in thirty minutes or so, okay? So, go back upstairs and try to figure out what my  _real weakness_ is. You gotta' give dad the right info, yeah?"

Max whined, as he softly patted Alec on his waist. "Can't you just tell me?"

"Huh. That's a new strategy...just asking the enemy to tell you all their secrets..." Alec hummed to himself, before playfully patting Max on his head with a wooden spatula. "Come on, Max. You're a Lightwood! You can do better than that."

"Ugh. You sound like dad." Max rolled his eyes, annoyed, as he huffed and puffed out of the kitchen.

"And don't forget to finish your math homework! If I get one more call from your teacher, Max, I swear to God!" Alec shouted as Max walked away—

Before he returned all of his focus to cooking a nice breakfast for his family.

****************

"I'm sorry, Lightwood, I didn't realize that you were learning how to play the guitar..."

"What? I'm not—"

"Then why the  _fuck_ are you  _fucking_ plucking?!" The archery coach was suddenly very close to Alec's face, and Alec could see a vein throbbing on the side of his broad forehead. "What the fuck are you doing today, Lightwood? It's like It's your first time out here. You're aiming like a fucking virgin. You're not a fucking virgin, are you?"

"No." Alec's response was stoic, as he kept his form, still holding his bow in place.

The coach now thunderously laughed, as he roughly clapped Alec on his back. "I'm just fucking with you, Lightwood. I know you're not a virgin. Christ, with as much pussy as you get, you're probably just tired. You should head out early."

"I'm not tired. I'm just...Just let me try again." 

"Nope. Get the fuck off my field, Lightwood. If you torque another bow, I'm going to fucking kill myself." The coach forcefully took Alec's bow out of his grasp. "Go home. And tell your girlfriends to take it easy on you. We don't have time for this shit."

Alec briefly wondered what would happen if he told his coach the truth...

If he told his coach that the reason he was so fucking awful today was because Magnus Bane had broken up with him a few days ago.

But today, Alec had finally managed to catch a glimpse of Magnus in the hall...

And Magnus looked so... _happy_...without Alec.

And Alec couldn't stop thinking about it.

How could Magnus be so... _happy_?

Alec didn't understand it. He'd been barely able to keep himself together. And deep down, he was hoping that Magnus would eventually come to his senses, eventually realize that he wanted to be with Alec just as much as Alec wanted to be with Magnus...

Fuck.

Why couldn't he just  _be_ with Magnus?

"I said get off my field, Lightwood! You're just standing there, taking up fucking space!"

"Sorry...I'm...sorry..." Alec ran a hand through his hair, as he headed towards the locker room.

*****************

"You fucking sucked out there, man." Underhill's voice bounced off the empty locker room's walls, as he beamed up at Alec. "You finally ready to quit the team or what?"

"Not today, Underhill." Alec kept his voice low, as he moved to get his backpack out of his designated locker. "I don't want to do this with you today."

"What's wrong? You and Magnus break up or something?" Underhill casually suggested the thought, while he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess that kiss went better than I thought..."

"Yeah, you must be pretty proud of yourself. Kissing someone else's boyfriend is a real achievement for an asshole like you. Personally, I think it's pathetic, but, you know, you should follow your fucked-up heart." Alec had finally opened up his locker and taken out his backpack—

Just before Underhill violently slammed it shut in front of him.

"Why couldn't you just leave Magnus Bane  _alone_? Why couldn't you just let me have this one thing, Alec?" Underhill let out a deep sigh, as he leaned against Alec's locker. "Do you just...hate me or something? First, you took away archery and now...this. Fuck. You didn't even know Magnus existed! Why would you take him away from me?"

"I've never  _taken_ anything away from you, Underhill. I'm better with my bow because I put in more hours than you. And I was better with Magnus because...we...just...made sense." 

"Yeah, whatever. Maybe I can catch him on the rebound. Hopefully, he figured out how big of a dick you are. Maybe he'll finally appreciate a nice guy like me."

"A nice guy..." Alec chuckled under his breath, as he turned to face Underhill. "That's what you think you are? You think you're a  _nice guy_?"

"Yeah..." Underhill raised an eyebrow, as he stared over at Alec. "Why?"

" _Nice guys_ don't try to pressure people into dates.  _Nice guys_ don't try to steal a fucking kiss when someone's distracted by something else.  _Nice guys_ know when to back the fuck off."

After Alec said the words, he felt a sudden jab at the side of his waist.

A few seconds later, it dawned on Alec that Underhill had sucker punched him in his abdomen.

"Come on, Lightwood. Don't you want to hit me back? Didn't your military  _daddy_ teach you anything about how to fight?"

"Yeah. He taught me not to fight cowards." Alec winced as the pain radiated through his side. "I'll see you later, Underhill—"

Underhill went for Alec's side again—

But this time, Alec easily dodged the attack. He then took hold of Underhill's arm, moving it behind Underhill's back as he pressed him against the locker. In the midst of Underhill's confusion, Alec threw a frightening punch—

Making sure it landed an inch or two away from Underhill's face.

Underhill flinched at the sound of Alec's fist hitting the metal, the noise causing a loud bang near Underhill's ears.

"I'll see you later, Underhill." Alec calmly repeated his previous goodbye, as he cautiously stepped away from Underhill, heading for the locker room's exit door.

*******************

"No...No...No...This isn't going to work!" Maryse was nearly in hysterics, as she paced back and forth across the living room. "God, the caterers are a nightmare. Why did Robert suggest that awful woman's company?"

_Probably because he's sleeping with her, mom._

Alec kept the thought to himself, as he watched his mother's anxiousness begin to eat her alive. "It'll be alright, mom. You always make these things come out perfect."

"Oh, but this function is so important! We're opening a new antique gallery in London. God. Why did I ever think that I could do something like this? Your father always told me that I was in over my head." Maryse plopped down onto the nearest couch, as she buried her face into her hands. "I can't...I can't..."

Alec quietly stepped over towards his mom, before taking an even quieter seat beside her. "You can do this, mom...I promise. We're Lightwoods. We're warriors. We're survivors—"

"Yes, yes, I know, we were one of the lucky few to survive plagues and famine..." Maryse finished off the rest of the familiar phrase, before she smiled over at her son. "You sound more like your father, each and every day. And with all those tattoos, you're starting to look like him, too...Must you really decorate yourself with every symbol in your father's book?"

"It's just...tradition." Alec shrugged, before taking in a shallow breath. "I'm just...doing what I'm supposed to be doing..."

"Tradition. Hmm. Yes, a part of me worried that you'd long abandoned any notion of  _that_." Maryse softly chuckled, before tapping her fingertips against her thigh. "When you brought over that new friend of yours...that tutor...I thought you might have been...intimate...with him." 

Maryse then laughed even louder, as she leaned back into her seat. "I'm sorry. I don't know why the thought even crossed my mind. I know you'd never break my heart like that, Alec. And you'd never do that to our family. You already know how much people judge us, with your father's position as Strategic Advisor for the military. If you were... _that way_...God. It would be such a scandal..."

Maryse beamed over at Alec, before she placed a gentle hand on his back. "And if you were... _that way_...Well, your father and I have given you a life of morals. Traditional values. You're strong enough to fight your...urges. You've always been this family's strongest soldier..."

Alec's hands were shaking, as he stared over at his mother...

He was so fucking scared.

He was so fucking pissed off. 

_She knew._

_She fucking knew._

And she fully expected him to stay in the closet for the rest of his fucking life.

"Mom...how long have you...How long have you known?" Alec managed to ask the question despite a very recent pounding headache and his own gritted teeth.

"It doesn't matter, Alec. It doesn't mean anything at all. As long as you don't act on it, you're still perfectly...normal." Maryse softly kissed her son against his temple, before she rose from the couch. "Now, help your mother make a few phone calls. God, what time is it in London? How early do the people there typically accept phone calls?" Maryse frowned, as she brought her fingers to her chin, as if she was in very deep thought.

"So....that's just it, then..." Alec's voice was nearly a whisper, as he still sat on the couch. "I just...I just never get to be happy? I never get to have anything...anyone...?"

"I'm sorry, Alec. I know it's not fair. I know you never asked for any of this...but you weren't born to be happy, my love. You were born to be  _great_. And  _great_ you will be. If your father is able to pull all the right strings...you'll have a head start on a prominent career in politics by age 25." Maryse offered Alec a bright smile—

Before a phone started to ring in another room.

"I'll be back! I'll be right back! Stay right there!" Maryse ran off towards the source of the phone call—

And Alec stayed, unmoving, unfeeling on the couch...

But that was right where Maryse seemed to want him.

Right where it seemed the entire world wanted him.

Right where he was  _supposed to be._

Alec was just a perfect, living doll that everyone could move around.

And he was going to be stuck like this...forever.

As the thought began to haunt him, he heard the familiar sound of Izzy's high heels coming down the hall—

And he pushed the growing dread down his throat—

As he put on a happy face to greet his sister for the evening.

******************

Alec slowly blinked himself awake...

But the image in front of him wasn't making any sense.

He wasn't looking up at his bedroom's ceiling.

It looked like the interior of a car...

But even the car wasn't one he recognized.

Alec gradually glanced around the vehicle—

Magnus.

Magnus was sitting there beside him, currently dead asleep in their shared backseat.

"Magnus...Magnus..." Alec whispered Magnus' name, before he reached a hand out towards Magnus' shoulder—

"Don't you dare wake him up, asshole." Catarina scoffed from the front seat, before turning to face Alec. "He stayed up all night taking care of you. We all stayed up all night taking care of you."

"Yeah, dude. Maybe the next time you decide to get drunk off your ass, just, uh, try drinking alone in your room or something? No need to take that shit out on the streets, unless you're trying to give people a show." Ragnor shrugged, before letting out a loud yawn.

"I don't...I don't know what you're talking about..." Alec's eyes went wide as he tried to search through memories that just weren't there. "I don't remember...anything."

"Yeah, 'cause you blacked out,  _asshole_." Catarina scoffed again, as she turned back around in her seat. "Ragnor, baby, take us to the park or something. This asshole may have ruined our Friday night, but he's not ruining our Saturday morning, too. Fuck this guy!"

"Sorry, dude. You seem nice and all...but I gotta' side with my lady on this one. Fuck you, Alec Lightwood." 

"I don't...I just..." As Alec stumbled through his words, he noticed that there was a buzz of music, slowly getting louder and louder—

Before a screaming musician blasted throughout the car, drowning out Alec's words and all of his coherent thoughts. 

Magnus still soundly slept, as if he'd heard this song a million times before...

And Alec decided that he wanted to go back to sleep, too.

Or maybe he just desperately wanted to be wherever Magnus was...

Maybe he just wanted to be by Magnus' side, either together in the waking world or in Magnus' dreams.

Alec deeply sighed as he closed his eyes, effortlessly nodding off, his body suddenly feeling...

Just...

     So...

           ...tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — do y'all enjoy the fact that Alec literally does nothing for himself and also all the daily micro-aggression AND THE FULL FORCE AGGRESSION FROM UNDERHILL L O L FUCK ALEC NEEDS A BREAK
> 
> — writing in Alec's POV may never happen again like damn THIS LEGIT WAS NOT FUN ALEC IS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME OR A GOOD LIFE (also yes this is why I've been avoiding writing from Alec's POV because I ALREADY KNEW IT WOULD BE LIKE THISSSS) 
> 
> — also if that line about being happy vs. being great sounds familiar I "paraphrased" it from the TV show Scandal! It's a really great line tbh and sounded exactly like something Maryse Lightwood would say~


	13. Magnets Beets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fucking Alec Lightwood! The man! The myth! The legend!" Alec was immediately greeted by the host of the party, as Alec stepped through the front door. "Dude, I know you get invited to a lot of parties. Thanks for choosing mine on this excellent Friday night." 
> 
> "Where's Underhill?" Alec tried to keep his tone casual, as he looked through a myriad of vaguely familiar faces. "I wanted to talk to him for a sec." 
> 
> "Ahhhhh." The party host nodded suggestively, before wiggling his shoulders in Alec's direction. "Underhill is currently _on top_." 
> 
> "Currently...on...top?" Alec's heart sank further and further into his chest. 
> 
> He knew exactly what the party host had meant. 
> 
> He just didn't want to believe it. 
> 
> "Yeah! He's hooking up with that magician dude. You should totally meet him. His name's Magnets Beets. He's super chill."

**_The Night Before_   **

Alec still quietly sat at the dinner table, even after all of the other Lightwoods had gone back to their respective bedrooms. 

His phone had been vibrating repeatedly in his pocket, but he chose to ignore it as he rested his face in his hands. 

He missed Magnus. 

And he missed him so fucking much. 

The pain was small at first, something Alec could easily ignore if he concentrated hard enough... 

But it just kept growing and growing, with each passing day. 

Now, it felt almost unbearable. 

Like there was an impossibly heavy weight bearing down on his chest. 

There was suddenly the sound of something being softly placed directly beside Alec's elbow. 

Alec peeked down through his fingers—

And smiled to himself at the sight. 

It was a freshly baked croissant, the kind that Alec used to eat when he was just a little kid. 

He hadn't had one in years. 

"It took me an hour or two to find a bakery still open this late...but you seemed so sad." Robert Lightwood beamed down at Alec, before gently running his hand through Alec's hair. "Having romantic troubles?" 

"No." Alec loudly sighed, as he pushed the croissant away from his grasp. "I'm not having romantic troubles. I'm just—" 

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Alec. And you don't have to lie." Robert offered Alec a slight grin, as he softly patted his son on the back. "Although, technically, you have earned Max a failing grade. He was supposed to find your weakness, but that's changed, hasn't it? Now, it seems your weakness walks around with purple hair and flowers behind their ear..." 

"You're...not mad...?" Alec's voice was filled with confusion, as he looked up at his father. "I always thought...if you ever found out...you would be so disappointed in me..." 

Robert firmly shook his head, as he slowly slid the croissant back over to his son. "I saw the way you looked at Magnus Bane. How could I possibly be upset with you now? You've already fallen in love. Trying to convince you that you're  _not in love_ would only be a waste of my own precious time." 

Alec deeply groaned, before leaning back in his chair. "How I feel...what I feel for Magnus...it doesn't even matter anymore." 

"It matters, son. It matters. Come on, tell me how the boy with the purple hair has broken your heart." Robert chuckled under his breath, as he took a seat next to Alec. "And eat the damn croissant! You weren't raised to be so ungrateful." 

Alec rolled his eyes, before taking the croissant into his hands. As he bit down into the soft, sweet, perfect pastry, he had to take a moment to brightly smile—

The croissant tasted just as good as he remembered.

When he'd finally floated back down to Earth, Alec softly answered his father's inquiry. "Magnus didn't want to be with me anymore...because I...I won't...come out. I...I'm not ready to tell people that I'm...different." 

"Has he set his foot down? Is this his one condition for you two to be together?" 

"Yes." 

"Then you should come out." Robert shrugged, before leaning an elbow against the table. "There is no other way. Your only strategy for remaining together is complete and total surrender." 

" _Complete and total surrender_? Were those your wedding vows with mom?" Alec playfully grinned, before taking another bite out of his croissant.  

"No, but that's pretty close." Robert loudly laughed, as he looked over at Alec. "I'd known your mother for years. I'd seen her in so many of my college courses. I maybe even ran into her in the hallways once or twice...I always thought that she was a genius, her mind and her beauty exceeding all others...but I had no interest in being in a romantic relationship. I didn't have the time. I needed to focus, on my studies, on my future. But one day, I saw her holding hands with this asshole in the quad...and something in me snapped right in half. I went up to their little table, got down on one knee and asked your mother to marry me...right in front of her boyfriend." 

"What happened after that?" 

"What do you mean  _what happened after that_? You, Isabelle and Max happened after that." Robert lightly chuckled, before letting out a shallow breath. "And I was terrified the entire time. I suddenly had a wife, something I never expected, and a family, too...And even though confessing my feelings to your mother was the scariest thing I'd ever done, it was worth it, Alec. She...was worth it." 

Alec's stomach now turned at his father's words, as he finished chewing through another pastry-filled bite. "If mom was really worth it...Why do you keep hurting her? Why do you still talk to...that other woman?" 

Robert's expression became ragged and worn. "Because relationships take effort. Because love is something that can die, Alec, if both people don't try to nurture it, day after day after day. Once you and Magnus are through with the infatuation, once you've worked through every sexual position known to man—" 

"Dad!" Alec wildly waved his hand, motioning for his father to  _please_ _stop talking_ about he and Magnus' potential sex life. 

"At the end of the day, love is all that remains, love will be what keeps you two at each other's side. And if you neglect a heart, whether it's his or your own...well, the heart is known to seek out a new home." Robert somberly rose away from the table, before resting his hand on Alec's shoulder. "If Magnus Bane is who you want...you already know the conditions. All you have to do is decide if Magnus Bane is someone worth weathering the storm for." 

Alec slowly opened his mouth to say another word—

Before his father grabbed onto the empty croissant plate and gave Alec a conspicuous wink. "Don't tell your mother that I let you have a croissant. She'll murder us both in our sleep." 

"Dad, I—" 

"Surrender or you'll lose him, Alec. There's nothing else to discuss." Robert hastily left the room, as if he had another meeting to attend somewhere down the hall. 

And maybe he did. 

Alec knew that his father worked like a machine, barely taking any time for himself... 

Or for his family. 

But Alec was happy that his dad had taken time out for him tonight. 

Even if their discussion only managed to leave Alec with more questions than answers... 

Alec sighed to himself, before he tiredly headed off to his bedroom. 

***************** 

It was nearly 11:00PM and Alec couldn't get to sleep. 

He was lying down in bed, with the room already darkened, and the bright glow of his screen lighting up his face with white light.  

An hour or so ago, he'd finally decided to check out his numerous phone notifications... 

They were a combination of group texts and people from school tagging him in pictures online. 

Everyone seemed to be at some kind of large party. 

Alec navigated to his Stele account, a social media app that he absolutely detested—

But his friends so often tagged him in photos and videos via the app, which meant that he sometimes needed to manually delete their tags. 

Alec watched as some dumb kid from his Science Lab jumped head-first from the roof into the pool. 

His eyes then moved to a picture of a pretty girl in rather risqué lingerie, making a pouting face at the camera... 

She wanted to know if Alec was coming to the party or not. 

The comments on the photo were filled with other guys offering to take Alec's place tonight if he wasn't going to show. 

Alec decided to leave his own tag, entirely, as he started to click on familiar usernames, wanting to see as many pictures from the party as possible, wanting to be able to talk about the party with his friends on Monday, even if he wasn't even there— 

Catarina Loss' profile suddenly popped up as a Recommended Account. 

Alec knew that he shouldn't... 

He knew that there wasn't a chance in fuck that this would lead to anything remotely  _good_. 

But he still clicked on her profile, anyway, and he was relieved that she'd left her settings on public, allowing him to scroll through her media as he pleased. 

There were  _so many pictures_ of her and her boyfriend. 

Apparently, they'd been making their way through every pizza shop in town, reviewing each place solely based on the quality of their garlic bread... 

There were barely any photos of actual pizza. 

When Alec came to a picture of Magnus, who was widely grinning at the camera, it felt like Alec's heart immediately stopped still in his chest. 

Magnus was wearing an oversized, white tank top that clearly read: I Love Cats. 

Only the "s" in cats had been crossed out with permanent black marker. 

Alec was about to scroll through the photo's comments—

When Catarina's page lit up with sparkles and rainbows. 

It was a Live Notification. 

Catarina must be filming herself somewhere, and sharing it with the people currently watching her account... 

Again, Alec knew that nothing good could possibly come of this... 

But he couldn’t help himself. 

He secretly hoped that Catarina was somewhere with Magnus. Alec just wanted to see Magnus' face, he just wanted to know that Magnus was okay... 

He took a deep breath, before joining in on her Live Feed. 

_"Oh my God, you guys! We're at some archery_ _dude's fucking house party_ _! Underhill gave us the hookup because he's chill as fuck and he knows what we bring to the fucking table._ " _Catarina was wildly grinning, before she took a_ _short sip out of a plastic, red cup._ _"Okay, let me show you what the fuck is even going on right now. There's so much shit happening, I swear to God."_  

_Catarina pointed her camera over at a large group of people, all sitting around in a messy circle._  

_Currently sitting right in the middle, Magnus was holding onto a bottle of wine, while Underhill sat by his side, with his hand on the bottle, as well._  

_"Uh, what are our options, here?" Magnus looked at the bottle, while shaking his head in confusion. "I've never played this game before."_  

_"Chug or dare! Chug or dare!" Someone randomly screamed out from the circle._  

_"You mean like...take a sip?" Magnus glanced over at the direction of the voice._  

_"No, one of you has to down the whole bottle. Or dare!"_  

_"Oh, fuck. Oh my God." Magnus nervously set the bottle down on the floor. "Uh, we'll go with...dare, right, Underhill?"_  

_"Right." Underhill nodded in agreement, as he looked around the circle. "Okay, so, what's the dare—"_  

_"Kiss him! Kiss him!" A random_   _guy drunkenly_ _called out, before obviously giggling. "_ _Doooo_   _i_ _ttttt_ _."_  

_"Okay, I know that a straight guy_ _might think that kissing another straight guy constitutes a dare but this isn't really the dare that you think it is—"_  

_Magnus' explanation was cut short, as Underhill went in for a kiss—_

_Underhill then effortlessly_ _pulled Magnus on top of him, before Underhill deepened the kiss while he casually ran his hands over Magnus' ass._  

_The room was soon filled with cheers and screams of shock and surprise—_

_And Catarina turned the camera back at her own face, with her jaw hanging wide open. "Holy shit! Holy shit! My fucking OTP came the fuck true!_ _Ragnor_   _o_ _wes me ten fucking garlic bread stops! Holy shit! I have to go find my boyfriend, guys! I'll talk to you later! Holy shit! AHHHH! This party is fucking HYPE!"_  

And Catarina's feed soon went dead. 

******* 

"Fucking Alec Lightwood! The man! The myth! The legend!" Alec was immediately greeted by the host of the party, as Alec stepped through the front door. "Dude, I know you get invited to a lot of parties. Thanks for choosing mine on this excellent Friday night." 

"Where's Underhill?" Alec tried to keep his tone casual, as he looked through a myriad of vaguely familiar faces. "I wanted to talk to him for a sec." 

"Ahhhhh." The party host nodded suggestively, before wiggling his shoulders in Alec's direction. "Underhill is currently  _on top_ _."_  

"Currently...on...top?" Alec's heart sank further and further into his chest.  

He knew exactly what the party host had meant. 

He just didn't want to believe it.  

"Yeah! He's hooking up with that magician dude. You should totally meet him. His name's Magnets Beets. He's super chill." The party host genuinely grinned up at Alec, before handing Alec an empty, red cup. "Well, you can meet him when he's done hooking up with Underhill, I guess. Oh, man! That reminds me. Gloria's here, and she totally wants to hook up with you, too. Please tell me you saw how hot she looked in her lingerie—" 

"I'm going to need a bigger cup..." Alec mumbled through his words, as the reality of the situation slowly sunk into his soul. 

"What?" 

"I said, I'm going to need a bigger cup." 

"Yooooo! Alec Lightwood, are you trying to get  _fucked up_?" The host happily spun around a few times, before pointing a finger at Alec. "Then, let's get  _fucked up!_ " 

"Okay." Alec solemnly nodded, before following the party's host to the nearest silver keg. 

************ 

Alec was shirtless in the over-crowded pool, while music blared all around him. 

The alcohol had been completely disgusting, but the side effects had been  _amazing_ so far. 

Alec felt...invincible. 

Like Magnus Bane never even fucking mattered. 

Like maybe Magnus Bane would never fucking matter ever again. 

There was a girl gently kissing a tattoo on Alec's chest, and the sensation was making him softly laugh. 

She seemed to take it as a sign of encouragement, as she then moved her mouth to Alec's neck, her teeth lightly grazing against Alec's skin—

But Alec wasn't really paying her much attention—

Especially when he spotted Magnus making his way through the pool area, hastily walking to the other side of the house— 

...

...

...

And now Alec was somehow standing face to face with Magnus, in one of the home's several luxe bedrooms...

But Alec didn't remember how he got here... 

He proceeded to stare Magnus down, to the best of his drunken ability.

"You...are...a...bad...man." Alec was doing his best to force the words out of his mouth, as his feet slightly stumbled— 

While he was standing in place. 

"What?" Magnus squinted as he looked Alec up and down. "Alec, are you drunk—" 

"No! You're going to let me speak! No one ever lets me speak!" Alec was now screaming, before he calmed himself and shakily took in a deep breath. "It wasn't my fault, Magnus...It wasn't even my fault. You think I didn't want to fucking...buy you a unicorn? You think I didn't want to...build you a fucking castle in the fucking sky? But...unicorns are  _so expensive_...And God...God doesn't like neighbors...up there..." 

"Alec, I think you should—" 

"No, Magnus! It's not fucking fair! I love you! Why doesn't that mean anything to you? How could that not mean anything to you..." Alec began to openly weep, as he brought a hand to his face. "Fuck. It's fucking hurting again. I need more...um...I need more cup juice." 

"Uh..." Magnus lightly chuckled at the suggestion. "Sure, Alec. We can get you more...cup juice. We'll just go to the car, where we...uh...keep...all the cup juice. And we'll drive you...home...where there's even more...cup juice." 

"Fuck, Magnus, are you going to marry me or what?" Alec whined, before crumpling down into a ball on the floor. "I've asked you like a billion times. Just marry me. We can adopt like, 20 cats, if you want. Fuck, wait. That's too many cats...We gotta' get rid of some of those cats...Oh my God, why did we buy so many cats..." 

The last thing Alec saw was Magnus' concerned face, peering over Alec's body on the floor. 

Alec thought that Magnus looked just like an angel... 

And that made Alec feel incredibly warm and incredibly safe... 

Warm and safe enough to finally close his eyes for the night... 

"Alec? Alec!" Magnus' eyes went wide, as he bent down towards Alec's body, desperately trying to shake him back awake. "Fuck my life! Fuck my entire life!" 

Magnus quickly dialed Catarina's number on his phone, and as he waited for her to answer, he stared over at an unconscious Alec Lightwood— 

And he quietly smiled to himself. 

Magnus thought that Alec—

Blacked out, shirtless, suspiciously wet, drunk-off-his-ass Alec—

Looked just like a fucking angel. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — I was trying to think of a way for someone to casually butcher Magnus Bane's name and fucking Magnets Beets was born 
> 
> — Magnets Beets/Alec Lightweight thinking they both look like angels GET A FUCKING ROOM ♥♥♥
> 
> — Magnus and Alec were both seen kissing other people at this very crowded party. Is that important? Is that a red herring? W H O K N O W S WRITE IT DOWN IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT (OR NOT)


	14. More Than You Will Ever Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec’s world was dark—
> 
> And he had an awful, pounding headache.
> 
> He took in a deep breath of air, as he kept his eyes closed tight.
> 
> Alec’s stomach soon twisted into knots as he immediately recognized a painfully familiar smell…
> 
> _Magnus Bane._
> 
> Alec lightly groaned, while desperately trying to remember the night before.
> 
> Had he been…with Magnus?
> 
> Were they…okay…again?
> 
> Fuck.
> 
> Alec just wanted everything to be _okay again._

**_The Next Day_ **

Alec’s world was dark—

And he had an awful, pounding headache.

He took in a deep breath of air, as he kept his eyes closed tight.

Alec’s stomach soon twisted into knots as he immediately recognized a painfully familiar smell…

_Magnus Bane._

Alec lightly groaned, while desperately trying to remember the night before.

Had he been…with Magnus?

Were they…okay…again?

Fuck.

Alec just wanted everything to be _okay again_.

He finally opened his eyes, taking in the sight above—

A clear, blue sky—

And soon, Alec's field of vision was filled with Magnus’ face, as Magnus looked down at Alec on the grass—

And that’s when Alec saw them.

Magnus’ eyes, illuminated by daylight.

He’d seen Magnus’ eyes before, but never like this.

The sunlight made it seem like gold was sparkling in his irises…

“Magnus…stop…that’s not fair.” Alec whined, as he slightly shifted away from Magnus. “I’m already fucked up enough, as it is, okay? I don’t need to be reminded of how…perfect…you are. I know that you’re perfect, and I know that you don’t want to be with me, so just—”

Alec’s words were interrupted by a rather fierce kiss from Magnus, who had now sunk himself deep into Alec’s arms.

When Magnus eventually came up for air, he offered Alec a bright, genuine smile. “Sorry. It’s just…I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. I…well…the kiss may have been a little too much—”

“You were worried about me?” Alec’s voice was quiet as he stared over at Magnus. “I thought you didn’t really care about me…not anymore.”

“ _What_? Alec, what the fuck? What gave you that idea?”

“I don’t know…You just seemed so happy…without me.” Alec shrugged, before he tried to turn away from Magnus again—

Except this time, Magnus quickly laid his head on Alec’s chest, keeping Alec in place against the grass.

“Alec, I’m a magician. My poker face is _amazing_. Why do you think Ragnor refuses to play cards with me anymore?” Magnus rolled his eyes, before letting out a small huff. “Technically, _I_ own his Jeep. Did you know that? I won it off him like, a year ago. I own it, and he won’t even let me drive it!”

Alec chose to ignore Magnus' rant about Ragnor's car, as Alec shifted closer to Magnus. “I’m sorry for getting so drunk…I just kind of…lost control.” Alec sighed, as his arm wrapped around Magnus' waist. “Sorry I made you freak out.”

Magnus grinned, as he firmly shook his head. “It’s okay, Alec. I’m just happy you’re not dead…” Magnus’ thoughts quietly trailed off, before he took in a shallow breath. “Wait. Is Ragnor the asshole in this whole Jeep thing? Or am I the asshole? I wasn’t even after his car! He offered to bet it! I was just after his history textbook—”

Alec wordlessly slipped his fingers underneath Magnus’ chin, causing Magnus to look up at him.

“I miss you.” Alec’s smile was sad and worn, as he ran his fingertips underneath Magnus’ jawline. “Magnus, I love yo—”

“Alec. Don’t.” Magnus gently moved Alec’s hand away from his chin, before letting out a shaky breath. “I can’t…We can’t…It just hurts too much…having to hide it—”

Magnus didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, as Alec had suddenly shifted from underneath him, now hovering over Magnus’ frame.

And when Magnus caught _that look_ in Alec’s eye, a look so often reserved for stolen moments in the supply closet—

Magnus’ body felt like it was set on fire—

In all the right ways.

“Alec…I…um…” Magnus’ insides were nearly yelling at him to _please stop talking_ , as his brain cried out for Alec’s hands to be all over his skin. “We’re…in public, Alec. I mean, yeah, no one’s here, but…someone could…see us.”

“Do you care if someone sees us?” Alec asked the question with his mouth softly pressed against the crook of Magnus’ neck.

“Wait, what? Why are _you_ asking _me_ if I care? Alec, you’re the one in the closet—”

“I don’t care…” Alec casually shrugged, before rolling Magnus’ shirt up his abdomen. “I think…I think that being with you is the only thing that I care about, Magnus…the only fucking thing…”

“Wait. I just want to…” Magnus wrapped his arms behind Alec’s back, gently pulling Alec down towards him into a tongue-twirling kiss.

A few seconds into their moment, Alec decided to roughly grind his hips against Magnus’ own.

Magnus whimpered into the kiss, and Alec felt a chill go down his spine.

He wanted to hear Magnus make that sound again.

He wanted to be the one _causing_ Magnus to make that sound again.

Alec then went into a steady grind, as Magnus writhed underneath him—

Until Magnus’ moans became so forceful, that he had to breakaway from his kiss with Alec—

Because Magnus severely needed to gulp down mouthfuls of air, Alec’s grinding seemingly knocking the oxygen right out of Magnus’ lungs.

“I’m going to take the rest of our clothes off now. Okay?” Alec tenderly kissed Magnus on his forehead, quickly moving to pull off his own shirt—

“What the _fuck_?” Catarina’s voice broke through the occasion—

And Magnus hastily pulled his shirt all the way back down. “Catarina! We, um—”

“Are you still drunk or something, Lightwood?” Catarina took a few steps towards Alec, her fists balling up at her side. “Are you fucking with Magnus? Magnus, is he fucking with you?”

Magnus could tell in Catarina’s tone that she was ready for a fight.

Magnus waved off her concern, as he looked over at where she stood. “It’s…um…complicated.”

“It’s not that complicated.” Alec then bent to give Magnus a quick, gentle kiss. “Magnus is mine.”

“First of all, Magnus doesn’t _belong to_ anyone, asshole. And if you’re the anonymous dipshit who’s been fucking with his feelings, I’m going to break your fucking face—"

“Catarina. Chill.” Ragnor suddenly appeared beside Catarina, as he tenderly kissed her on her cheek. “Don’t take it too personally, Alec. My woman is always ready to fight someone when she hasn’t had a good meal.”

“I’m going to dance on your grave.” Catarina whispered the words towards Alec—

And Ragnor openly grimaced. “Okay, baby. Let’s, uh, let’s get you a sandwich or something? Maybe?”

“I’m going to haunt your dreams for as long as you live…and when you die, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side.” Catarina was now crouching directly beside Alec, making sure they were face to face. “Do you hear me, Alec Lightwood? Even in  _death_ , there will be no escape from me.”

“I…I hear you…” Alec couldn’t hide his growing nervousness, as his words came out with a tremble. “I’m…sorry…for hurting Magnus…I was just…um…”

“Being a selfish fucking asshole.” Catarina somehow managed to get even closer to Alec, as they were nearly eye to eye. “And if you ever pull any of the same shit again, if Magnus ever ends up crying in my arms, _again_ …There will be no peace between us, Alec Lightwood. We will be at war our entire lives. Our children will be at war, as well. Our grandchildren will know about the war, too, and they will join in the fight when—Oh my God! Is that a spicy, veggie burrito? Baby, where’d you get this?!”

Catarina had seemingly lost her focus, as she took a huge bite out of a burrito that was suddenly in her hands. “Ugh. This is so good. Wait. What was I saying?”

“Nothing! You weren’t saying anything! You were done talking!” Magnus shouted over at Catarina, before he moved away from Alec. He moved a bit closer towards Catarina, and nonchalantly took a bite out of her burrito, too. “Fuck, Ragnor. That’s fucking delicious. Did you make this at home or something?”

“Yeah, I started packing some backup food for my princess over here.” Ragnor smiled down at Catarina, as he avidly watched her take another bite. “I’m glad you like it, baby.”

Catarina shot a grin up at Ragnor, before she looked back over at Alec. “So, you and Magnus are a thing, huh?”

“Yeah…yes…” Alec was still nervous about Catarina’s earlier sentiments, as he avoided looking directly at her. “We’re…something…yeah.”

“Oh. Well, then, that totally explains why you kicked Underhill’s ass last night.” Catarina gave Alec a wink, as she took the next to last bite of her burrito—

Before she handed the last bite over to Magnus, who nearly squealed with excitement as he finished off the meal.

“…What? I didn’t kick Underhill’s ass last night.” Alec shook his head in confusion, his gaze now directly meeting Catarina’s. “I didn’t even see him last night.”

“Magnus, what the hell? You didn’t tell your boy-toy that he very bravely and _very drunkenly_ defended your honor?” Catarina widely grinned, before nudging Magnus in his side. “Come on, tell the man what happened.”

“Actually…I was kind of hoping that everyone would just forget about it…” Magnus’ tone was low, as he looked up towards the sky. “All of it just really fucking sucked.”

Alec reached out towards Magnus’ hand, quietly placing his palm over Magnus’ knuckles. “Magnus. Please. Tell me what happened…Please.”

Magnus blew out a breath before he flipped over his hand, now taking Alec’s palm into his own.

“Um…okay…Well, during that stupid drinking game, Underhill pushed his tongue down my throat and grabbed my ass…Which was… _a lot_ …but I thought he was drunk so I wasn’t going to hold it against him…But then after the game, he said he wanted to talk to me about something…And that’s when he told me that he’d basically been stalking my Stele account, and one night he went back so far in my pics that he saw something that Camille had commented on…And then he started messaging with her about…getting a shot with me…”

Magnus somberly looked down at the grass, before he continued on with his retelling of last night’s events.

“Okay…um…so…then he tried to kiss me again…the same way he kissed me during the game…but I said no…and then he asked me why I was making him try so hard, since he knew that I slept with Camille on our first date…And then he said that maybe I just thought that I was better than him now, since I was…sleeping with you…And he said that I needed to consider that you weren’t keeping us a secret because you were in the closet…maybe you just didn’t want people to know that you were sleeping with…a…uhm—”

Magnus stopped his story, as he shifted on the grass, like he just couldn’t get comfortable…

But eventually, he managed to get the word out of his throat. “Slut.”

“Wait…He called you a _slut_ because you _wouldn’t_ fuck him?” Alec scrunched up his face, as he tried to think through the logic. “What the fuck?”

“The fun thing about words is that they don’t really have to make a lot of sense…especially when they were specifically said to hurt your feelings.” Magnus tried to let out a laugh, but it came out broken. “I don’t even know why Camille told him that. Ever since she transferred schools, I figured she’d forgotten all about me.”

“No fucking way. You’re too amazing, Magnus. It’s pretty much impossible to forget you.” Alec gently smiled, before lifting up Magnus’ palm, and planting a kiss across their intertwined fingers. “Also, fuck Underhill. I hope I gave him a concussion.”

“He’s in a coma.” Ragnor’s tone was deadpan, as he stared down at Alec.

“Oh my God! Oh my fuck! Shit! I’m going to fucking jail!” Alec started to loudly freak the fuck out—

And Ragnor broke out into a laugh. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m just fucking with you, man. Underhill, at worst, maybe has a black eye or something. And some bruised ribs.”

“And a bruised ego.” Catarina playfully smirked over at Alec, before patting him on the shoulder. “Nice work, Lightwood.”

“Thanks?” Alec, still unsure of how to interact with Catarina, kept his response to a minimum.

“Oh, and welcome to Our Part Of The Park.” Catarina waved an arm around the park, while dramatically wiggling her fingers in the wind. “We’ve claimed this little spot since, like, the fifth grade. Cool kids only. But no _cool kids_ allowed.”

“Uh…is this your way of asking me to leave?” Alec’s tone was filled with hesitation.

He would leave if Catarina really wanted him to, but he was definitely going to take Magnus with him.

“Hmm…no. Magnus seems to like you, so…I’m officially extending you a Guest Pass for the day.” Catarina pretended to sign off on an imaginary sheet of paper, before proudly presenting the invisible sheet to Alec.

Alec gratefully accepted the invisible sheet into his hands. “ _Nice._ ”

“Hey, you guys want to go bowling?” Ragnor suggested the idea, while gently grabbing Catarina by her waist, and pulling her up into a kiss.

“Uh, I don’t think…Alec’s…ready for that…” Magnus frowned, as he slowly ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe we could do something…more…normal…”

“Magnus, he’s your boyfriend. He’s going to have to get used to our weirdness, eventually.” Catarina rolled her eyes, before smiling down at Alec. “How about it, stranger? You want to go bowling?”

“Bowling sounds…fine…Unless…Well, does bowling mean something else to you guys?” Alec nervously looked between Catarina and Ragnor—

But neither one of them said another word.

They just silently offered Alec a suspiciously wicked grin.

************************

“10 points! Ragnor, count ‘em up!”

Catarina gracefully slid past Alec, as she zipped and zagged through the mud, easily moving through the grass with two heavy, white bowls on her feet.

Alec cursed under his breath, as he wobbled in place, still not sure how to calculate the momentum necessary to actually move…

Ragnor was a few feet away on the pavement, racing over the ground with his skateboard. “10 points for the queen! Zero points for the new guy!”

“Listen, Alec, I love you, but you’re _killing me_.” Magnus was on the other side of the pavement, racing by on glittering roller-skates. ”You’re supposed to be my jock.”

“I am a jock! I am!” Alec whined, as he tried and failed to move across the mud. “I just don’t get this!”

“What’s there to get! You just have to let go.” Catarina turned on her bowls, as she made her way back to Alec. “Stop thinking so much. Don’t you ever stop thinking?”

“…No…” Alec answered the question honestly, as he let out a shallow breath. “I’m not really…I don’t really get the chance…”

“You’re trying to control too much, Lightwood. Can’t control gravity.” Catarina gave Alec a warm smile, as she steadied her hands against his shoulders. “Like I said…you just have to let go. Are you ready to let go?”

“I don’t…really know…how—”

“GO!” Catarina gave Alec a sudden push—

And soon he was spinning in a way-too-fast circle.

“Gotta’ choose a direction or you’ll just keep spinning!” Catarina’s voice carried through Alec’s spin. “Go with your gut!”

“Fuck!” Alec screamed, still stuck in his tailspin—

Before his gut finally made a decision—

And he found himself flying beside Catarina, as they both effortlessly slid side-by-side.

“Nice work, Amateur Adam.” Catarina giggled, before leaning her body a bit forward. “But gravity’s not the only trick to this. Hope you know how to jump.”

“Jump? What—”

Before Alec could even get the words out, Catarina had already jumped out of the bowls on her feet—

And for a second or two, she remained in the air—

Before landing gracefully back into the bowls, and continuing down the mud.

Alec tried to copy her—

Move for move—

But instead of a graceful landing, he somehow managed to roughly veer to his right, and slam face first into Magnus, tumbling them both to the pavement below.

Alec was about to apologize profusely, when he noticed the expression on Magnus’ face.

Magnus was laughing, _hard_ , as he crossed his arms over his sides. “Oh my God. We just lost a billion points. It took us less than five minutes to completely blow the game. Oh my God.”

“Well, I don’t know, Magnus, maybe if _you’d done_ _your part_ …” Alec’s words were dripping with sarcasm, before he broke out into a laugh, as well.

When their shared laughter had died down, Alec still remained oh-so-close to Magnus, as they wordlessly stared into each other’s eyes.

“I love you, Alec…” Magnus’ words were nearly a whisper, as he kept his gaze focused on the boy in front of him. “I love you so much..." 

“I love you, too, Magnus.” Alec slightly bent down, softly planting a kiss on Magnus’ forehead. “More than you will ever know.”

“Yo! No contact on the court! Get that shit out of here!” Ragnor wildly waved his hands, before loudly blowing a whistle.

Magnus scoffed, before raising a middle finger towards Ragnor—

And soon, Magnus leaned forward to give Alec a fervent kiss on his soft lips.

Alec smiled into their lengthy kiss, as Ragnor’s whistle continued to ring and ring and ring, somewhere in the background of their rapid heartbeats. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> \+ [ Please click here to help #SaveShadowhunters](https://www.saveshadowhunters.com/). It's been canceled by Freeform and honestly I'm dying on the inside???
> 
> \+ "Bowling" seems like so much fun tbh (and a great way to end up in the hospital with inexplicable injuries)!
> 
> \+ Catarina is terrifying I FEEL LIKE SHE'S KILLED FOR MAGNUS BEFORE AND SHE **WILL KILL AGAIN**
> 
> \+ "wow this chapter seems really sweet!" BY NOW YOU SHOULD TAKE THAT AS A WARNING SIGN IN MY FICS FOR FULL ANGST AHEAD YOU CAN'T HAVE A LIL SUNSHINE WITHOUT THE RAIN
> 
> P.S. [this title is based on a song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJOvC3ISVdI)


	15. Can't Fucking Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even as he made his way to the end of the hall, he could tell that there was just something…different.
> 
> People were watching him. People were noticing him.
> 
> And not in the way that Magnus knew all too well, with people possibly wondering about why he’d dyed his hair some unnatural color—
> 
> Or people curious about who worked on his latest manicure—
> 
> No, their eyes were following his every fucking move—
> 
> And when Magnus reached a water fountain, he finally saw it…
> 
> There was a blown up, expertly edited photo, of Underhill emphatically kissing Magnus’ lips—
> 
> Someone had brightened all the colors of their clothes, and changed the background from the archery dude’s party to a solid black—
> 
> And Magnus’ name was spelled out in pink, lavender and blue letters…
> 
> With Underhill’s name right beside it, spelled out with all the colors of the rainbow…
> 
> The caption underneath the photo stood out in a bold hue: 
> 
> **Love is Love**
> 
> **Vote BaneHill**
> 
> **Prom King & Prom King**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Come Hang Out With Me On Tumblr! ♥](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com)

Magnus and Alec were back in that familiar closet…

With Alec pressing Magnus against a nearby wall, fervently brushing his lips against Magnus’.

Soon, Alec excitedly ran his hands underneath Magnus’ shirt. “I missed you, Magnus…”

“You saw me last night.” Magnus wistfully sighed, while he moved his own hands towards Alec's forearms. “But I missed you, too. Although, to be completely honest, I just don’t know if I’m…uh… _ready for round two_.”

“Wait, are you sore?” Alec stopped moving his hands, as he stared down at Magnus. “Am I…Am I too big for you?”

Magnus started to speak—

But he’d noticed the growing grin on Alec’s face.

“Oh my God. You _want_ to be too big for me, don’t you?” Magnus scoffed, before playfully flicking his finger against the underside of Alec’s jaw. “So, is that like your main kink or something?”

“You’re my only kink, Magnus.” Alec pressed a soft kiss to the bridge of Magnus’ nose, as he pushed his hips closer to Magnus’ own. “But if you’re sore, I can just use my mouth—”

Alec’s words were interrupted by the supply closet door being swung wide open.

The school’s janitor casually stepped inside the tiny room, as he reached for a broom and dustpan—

He then shot a quick look over at Alec and Magnus…

Before openly rolling his eyes—

And loudly slamming the closet door on his way out.

“Are we…Are we not the only ones who use this closet?” Magnus quietly mouthed his thoughts, as his gaze remained on the closet door. “Why wasn’t he surprised? Alec, why didn’t he _say anything_?”

Alec casually shrugged, before gently biting into Magnus’ shoulder. “Maybe he’s just a chill guy.”

“We need to find a new closet…” Magnus’ voice trailed off, as he looked up towards the ceiling. “Or maybe we can borrow Ragnor’s car…which is, technically, _my car_ —”

“Magnus.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to kiss you now.” Alec firmly nodded, before shifting his weight against Magnus, effectively keeping Magnus in place against the wall.

Magnus soon nodded, too, as he lightly giggled in-between Alec’s perfectly soft, perfectly invasive kisses.

***********************

Magnus happily hummed, as he stood in front of his locker.

He rearranged a few textbooks here and there, and while pulling out a rather large notebook—

He noticed that there was a clearly visible hickey near his wrist.

Magnus couldn’t help but smile to himself, as he remembered Alec’s insistence on the love bite, wanting to make it near impossible for Magnus to forget about him—

_As if Magnus could ever forget about Alec Lightwood._

Magnus chuckled under his breath, before slipping the notebook into his waiting backpack.

He lifted back up towards his locker—

And there was now an eerily grinning brunette standing beside it, with her wide eyes focused on Magnus’ frame.

“Oh…uh…Can I help you with something?” Magnus barely wanted to talk to her, since her constant gaze was already creeping him the fuck out.

“Can I see them?” She took another step closer to Magnus…

And Magnus took a step further away. “I’m sorry? I don’t know what you’re—”

“Your eyes, Magnus! Your eyes!” She could hardly contain the frenzy that lined her tone. “Underhill said they’re _gorgeous_.”

“Uh, no offense, but why the fuck would Underhill tell you about my eyes? Why is he talking about me _at all_?” Magnus’ own tone was filled with confusion, as he kept a watchful eye on the girl in front of him.

“Ohhhhh. I get it.” The girl conspicuously winked over at Magnus. “He’s the only one who gets to see them, right?”

“Listen, I really have no idea what you’re talking about—”

“Magnets!” Magnus felt a rough hand clapping hard against his back. “Hey, man. You better give me some credit!”

Magnus turned towards the voice—

Oh.

It was the archery dude who’d thrown that party.

Magnus gave him a barely-there-wave as a greeting. “Give you credit for what, exactly?”

“Uh, for hosting the first place that you and Underhill _did the nasty_.” The archery dude let out a loud laugh, before leaning against Magnus’ closed locker. “You know, that video of you two making out made my party go _viral_ in our local Stele area. A few people asked me if there was any video from the bedroom, too…Is there?”

“No! Of course there isn’t!” Magnus was trying and failing to hide his growing frustration. “What the fuck?”

“Hey, man! Don’t get pissed at me. I’m just saying, you two leak some kind of sex tape, you’ll get so many fucking followers, dude. It doesn’t even have to be in HD! It can be grainy as fuck! The people just want to see their Prom Kings making sweet, sweet love.”

The archery dude then offered Magnus a wide grin, before heading down the hallway. “Let me know if you find some footage, Magnets! I can make it look like you didn’t even know about the leak!”

Magnus' mouth hung open in pure bewilderment, as he watched the archery dude walk down the hall...

_Prom Kings?_

_Sex tape?_

_Underhill?_

_What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck—_

The constant questions looping in Magnus' head made him completely forget about the strange girl still standing beside him. 

“So, are you going to let me see your eyes, or…” The girl blew out a shallow breath, as she stared over at Magnus. “Come on, Magnus! It’ll only take like five seconds.”

Magnus thoroughly ignored her pleas, as he swiftly headed in the opposite direction.

Even as he made his way to the end of the hall, he could tell that there was just something…different.

People were _watching him_. People were _noticing him_.

And not in the way that Magnus knew all too well, with people possibly wondering about why he’d dyed his hair some unnatural color—

Or people curious about who worked on his latest manicure—

No, their eyes were following his every fucking move—

And when Magnus reached a water fountain, he finally saw it…

There was a blown up, expertly edited photo, of Underhill emphatically kissing Magnus’ lips—

Someone had brightened all the colors of their clothes, and changed the background from the archery dude’s party to a solid black—

And Magnus’ name was spelled out in pink, lavender and blue letters…

With Underhill’s name right beside it, spelled out with all the colors of the rainbow…

The caption underneath the photo stood out in a bold hue: 

**_Love is Love_ **

**_Vote BaneHill_ **

**_Prom King & Prom King_ **

“You little shit.” Lydia soon stood beside Magnus, as she marveled at the blown-up photo, too. “Goddammit, Magnus Bane…maybe you’re one of us, after all.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Magnus grimaced, as he instinctively moved away from Lydia’s side.

“Oh, this is gonna’ fuck Alec _all the way up_.” Lydia smirked over at Magnus, before looking back at the photo. “A head-to-head competition with his secret lover…what a way to throw him off his game. Well played, Magnus Bane. Well fucking played.”

“A head-to-head competition?”

“Don’t play dumb, Magnus. You know I’m still running with Alec.” Lydia daintily threw her hair over her shoulder, letting the strands gracefully land on her back. “The video of us making up at the party only came second to your little stunt with Underhill.”

“Making up…” Magnus attempted to hide the surprise in his tone—

But Lydia quickly caught on, and she soon wore a wicked grin. “Check your Stele account. It should be somewhere under ‘#Lightwell Reunites’. Kinda’ weird that your boyfriend wouldn’t tell you about our little make-out session in the pool, but whatever.”

“He probably doesn’t remember—”

Lydia held up her hand, effectively requesting Magnus’ silence. “You want to make a deal, Bane?”

“Are you asking me if I want to make a deal _with the literal devil_? No, thanks, Lydia—”

“Why do people always say that about me? I’m a goddamn _angel_.” Lydia let out an exasperated sigh, before folding her arms over her chest. “Listen, Magnus. Your boyfriend punched out _your boyfriend_ at that party, which means that people are a little iffy about where Alec Lightwood stands on gay guys. I need you to spread the word that the fight was just a huge misunderstanding.”

“And what do I get out of that, Lydia?” Magnus nervously patted his arms against his side.

“I’ll tell people that you’re a _lovable weirdo_ and not just a _weirdo weirdo_. Ooh, I can tag you on my Stele, too! People love when rivals are secretly best friends—”

“I have to _go_ , Lydia.” Magnus adjusted his backpack, as he finally pushed on the exit doors. “See you in Hell.”

“Can't fucking wait.” Lydia gave Magnus a curt wave, before nimbly turning on her heels.

*******************

Magnus sat in one of the library’s silent rooms, as he quietly watched the video of Alec and Lydia…

They were engaged in a passionate kiss in a pool, with Lydia even breaking away from Alec in parts, only for him to follow her lips for more—

Once the video came to an end, Magnus would start it all over again, moving his face just a bit closer to the screen each time.

He remembered Alec saying that everything with Lydia was all fake…

That their relationship was nothing more than a Stele publicity stunt.

But the way Lydia kissed him, the way she dragged her fingernails against Alec’s bare chest—

It was almost as if she knew just _how_ to touch him.

And Magnus wanted to push the thought away…

The thought of Alec touching someone else while they’d been together…

And just in time, Magnus’ thoughts were interrupted by Alec coming into the room.

Alec giddily slid down into a seat beside Magnus, as he soon bent to give Magnus a kiss on his cheek. “I missed you.”

Magnus didn’t even bother looking over at him, as he wordlessly handed his phone over to Alec.

“What the fuck is this?” Alec played the video only once, before setting the phone back down on the table. “Magnus, I swear to God. I don’t remember any of that.”

“But you still did it…” Magnus’ voice was thoughtful and low.

“So? Just add it to the list of fucked up shit I did that night.” Alec gently laughed, as he took Magnus’ palm into his own. “I promise to never get that fucked up again, okay?”

Alec moved to kiss Magnus—

But Magnus slightly turned his head. “Was that…Was that your first time kissing her?”

Alec stilled beside Magnus. “Magnus…I—”

“Alec. Just tell me the truth.”

“No. It wasn’t my first time kissing her.” Alec shrugged, like his admission meant nothing. “I already told you that I used to kiss girls—”

“Yeah, and you said that you and Lydia _weren’t real_.” Magnus moved his hand away from Alec’s, as he narrowed his eyes. “So, if you _weren’t real_ , why would you…why would you ever—”

“Magnus, I’m not going to do this with you. I’m not going to apologize for trying to figure myself out.” Alec groaned, before leaning back in his seat. “I’m sorry that I didn’t know what I wanted before, but you’re all I want _now_. Please. Can’t we just get over it?”

“Drop out of the Prom Royalty race.” Magnus said the words with finality, as he peered over at Alec’s expression.

“What?”

“You heard me, Alec.”

“Magnus, that’s not really up to me—”

“All you have to do is withdraw your name.” Magnus tilted his head to the side. “Unless you don’t want to.”

“Magnus, I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t…I can’t do that to Lydia.”

Magnus felt like screaming at the top of his lungs. “You can’t do that to Lydia? But you can do it _to me_? Alec, she was part of the reason we broke up in the first place!”

“Yes, Magnus…Trust me, I know how she can get…but—”

“But _what_ , Alec? _But fucking what_?”

“It’s not…I can’t…It’s not important, okay?” Alec slightly shifted in his chair. “Can we please stop talking about this?”

Magnus quietly shook his head, before he opened up the textbook in front of him. “Sure.”

Alec sighed, as he reached his arms around Magnus’ waist, easily pulling Magnus onto his lap. “Don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad. Just disappointed.”

“Nice. You sound just like my mom.” Alec groaned, before resting a hand on Magnus’ thigh. “What are you doing afterschool?”

“ _Not you_.” Magnus’ answer came out stoic, as he nonchalantly flipped another page. 

“Magnus.” Alec sighed into the back of Magnus’ shirt. “Fine…I’ll tell you…just…okay…” Alec took in a deep breath, before softly nuzzling into Magnus’ spine. “You love me, right? No matter what?”

“Yes.” Magnus’ answer was shaky, as he closed his eyes in preparation for the worst.

“Okay…it all started when I first got here…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> —[Please Click Here To #SaveShadowhunters](https://saveshadowhunters.com) (WE FLEW A FUCKING BANNER AROUND NETFLIX HQ WITH AN ACTUAL PLANE L O L I FUCKING LOVE THIS FANDOM WTF ♥♥♥)
> 
> —Sorry for the gap in updating! I sat on a draft of this chapter for like...2 weeks? I wrote it pretty much right after I updated the last chapter but then I changed it A L OT because ehHHHH it kinda' cheapened the very real anxiety that stems from Coming Out (you can find the original version on my Tumblr but I ain't proud of it) 
> 
> —"this chapter seems kinda' shorter than your usual posts" I was going to combine it with a chapter from Alec's POV again but that part's not done...and this part is done??? I dunno I'm just trying to give y'all something since I feel like I fell off the Earth with this fic L O L I'M TRYING MY BEST HERE I feel like updating with less is better than not updating for another two weeks so _*shrugs*_
> 
> —also that janitor is tired??? he's fucking had it with people in that closet tbh


	16. Lies.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia was currently sitting on the bleachers, wrapped in a heavy blanket. She cautiously picked at a hot-dog, unsure of its nutritional qualities…
> 
> Raj soon sat beside her, as he tilted his head to the side. “Beautiful night.”
> 
> “Yeah, you can actually, like, see the stars.” Lydia nodded in agreement, before taking a nervous bite of her meal.
> 
> “Perfect time to tell Alec Lightwood you’re in love with him.”
> 
> Lydia nearly choked on her food, as she turned her head towards Raj. “Raj! What the fuck? What are you talking about?”
> 
> Raj loudly laughed, as he leaned back against the bleachers. “As King Of The Bench, I see all, Lydia Branwell. Coach still won’t let me play, so I might as well people-watch. And you two…yeah…there’s something there.”
> 
> “And what’s your evidence for that, King Of The Bench?” Lydia played into Raj’s conspiracy theory, as she shifted closer to him.
> 
> “Uh, Lightwood has girls sending him nudes every fucking day. And he just…deletes them. He doesn’t even look at them.” Raj’s tone was lined with confusion, as he continued with his thoughts. “He’s either super religious or he’s already into someone.”
> 
> “Or he’s gay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Come Hang Out With Me On Tumblr! ♥](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com)

**_Four Years Ago_ **

Lydia Branwell quietly stood in the bathroom stall.

Archery practice was going to start in a few minutes…

She knew her time alone was winding down, but she just couldn’t get herself to stop crying.

It’d been a week since her world had come crashing down all at once.

Since John had moved away with his family, his mom taking another work assignment, somewhere far, far away…

Although, Lydia hadn’t really spoken to John in months. Not since he’d told her he was leaving.

Lydia had insisted on a clean break in their relationship, something that wouldn’t leave her weeping against the bathroom wall—

And yet, she could still feel her heart breaking into jagged, little pieces.

She could still feel newly-shed tears wetting her face.

She forced down a ragged breath, as her hands shakily opened the stall door.

And as she now stood in front of the bathroom mirror, she pensively applied more makeup to her waiting skin.

She wanted to hide the lines from not sleeping at night, the puffiness under her eyes from all the crying and crying and crying…

When she’d finished the job, she pulled out her phone, casually checking for something, _anything_ from John—

Maybe a text message.

Maybe a missed phone call.

But there was nothing…

And even though Lydia knew that all John did was _leave_ Alicante High—

It was starting to feel just like he died.

Lydia pushed down the thoughts, as she let out one final, quiet sniffle—

Before heading out the bathroom door.

******************************

“Branwell! Come over here!” The archery coach’s voice felt harsh on Lydia’s ears—

But she managed to put on a bright smile as she crossed the field. “Yeah, coach? What’s going on?”

“We have a new kid coming. I want you to show him how things work around here.” The coach deeply sighed, as he flipped through pages on his clipboard. “Losing John is gonna’ be a pretty big fucking blow to our team. Where the hell are we going to find another kid like him? Shit.”

Lydia winced at hearing John’s name…

But she recovered with a shallow breath. “Yeah, I can show him how things work around here. What’s his name?”

“Lightwood.”

“What’s his first name?”

“Don’t fucking know. Don’t fucking care.” The coach shook his head, as he set his clipboard at his side. “I leave first names up to the Welcoming Committee. Learn his first name and get back to me—What the FUCK are you doing over there, Underhill?! Are you fucking plucking?! I will send you back through your MOTHER’S WOMB you fucking—”

The coach broke out into a sprint across the field, as he wildly waved his clipboard in Underhill’s general direction.

“Okay, um…I’ll just…wait here…” Lydia squinted, as she looked around the field.

Everything looked exactly the same.

Everyone looked exactly the same.

Well…

Not everyone.

Lydia’s heart ached in her chest, as she slowly closed her eyes…

She couldn’t cry here.

God. If the coach saw her crying…

He’d already complained about Alicante allowing _girls_ on the Archery Team—

She didn’t need to add any extra fuel to the fire.

Once she’d fully collected herself, she gradually opened her eyes…

And somehow, the most beautiful person she'd ever seen was now standing right in front of her.

“Hey.” Alec beamed down at Lydia, before playfully shaking the set of arrows in his hand. “Am I in the right place? The secretary told me—”

“Lightwood.” Lydia’s words came out nearly breathless, as she struggled to keep her focus. “Uh, yeah. Yes. Hi! I’m Lydia Branwell.”

“Alec.” Alec nodded, as he glanced over at the practice targets. “Should I just get started or—”

“No! Oh my God. If you just _get started_ , coach will probably kill you.” Lydia shook her head, as she slightly grimaced. “You don’t want to get on his bad side on the first day. He’ll literally never forgive you. Raj pissed him off in our first practice, and he still won’t let him come off the bench.”

Lydia nodded over towards Raj—

And Raj, seated on the bench, offered her a happy wave.

“He’s been there _six months_. I don’t think he even goes home anymore. Not even at night.” Lydia whispered her words, as she looked up at Alec—

And Alec softly chuckled under his breath—

Which made Lydia's heart suddenly beat a million miles a minute...

_Fuck._

Alec’s smile had to have been in a constant competition with the fucking sun.

“We should just go wait for coach to tell you what to do…” Lydia blew out a heavy breath, as she turned towards the bleachers. “Come on. This way, he’ll at least be able to see us.”

Lydia waited to hear Alec’s footsteps following behind her—

And once she could hear the distinct sound of sneakers working their way through the grass, she smiled so wide that it burned her cheeks. 

***************************

“What’s your username on Stele?” Lydia sat right beside Alec, as he took a bite out of his salad.

They were hanging out in the cafeteria after practice, courtesy of Lydia offering to give Alec a tour of the campus.

“Oh. I don’t have one.” Alec shook his head, as he stabbed at another bite of salad. “I’m not really into all of that.”

“Nope. Wrong answer. Give me your phone.” Lydia expectantly held out her hand—

And Alec shrugged, as he handed over his phone.

Lydia went to work on creating a profile, as she scrolled through the app’s questions. “If you’re going to survive at Alicante, Alec Lightwood, you’re going to need to play the game.”

“Play the game?” Alec finished up his salad, as he reached for his bottled water. “What’s there to win?”

“Well…Were you popular? At your last school?”

“Not really. Too focused on…other stuff.” Alec shifted his eyes away from Lydia, as he thought back on _other stuff_.

_Other stuff_ like having to lie to his sister about their dad cheating on their mom.

_Other stuff_ like having to help Max with his homework, since their parents were too focused on The Never-Ending Campaign of Robert Lightwood.

_Other stuff_ like wondering what it’d be like to kiss a boy...

“Well, speaking as a beloved member of Alicante High Society, I’d like to officially extend you an invitation.” Lydia giddily smiled over at Alec. “All you have to do is accept my Friend Request. Literally. Just press yes. Right there.”

Lydia handed Alec back his phone…

And she held in a breath, as she waited on his next move.

Alec thoughtfully scrolled through his screen, before looking over at Lydia—

Lydia Branwell was conventionally beautiful.

She looked like the kind of girl who could have anything she wanted in the world…

And the way her hair, makeup and nails were all perfectly styled, Alec figured that she came from enough money to _buy anything she wanted in the world_ , too.

So, why was Lydia even bothering to talk to him?

Why was she interested in him at all?

“Why do you want to be friends with me?” Alec leaned closer to Lydia, momentarily neglecting his phone. “What’s so special about me?”

Lydia tried for another smile—

But Alec’s questions somehow broke right through her facade.

She found herself sniffling, as she turned her eyes away from Alec. “Sorry if I’m coming on too strong. My boyfriend, well, my ex-boyfriend, just left town and he’s not even answering my texts…and I…I just want to not think about it. I think…Making new friends might help? Right?”

“Hmm. So, you just want a distraction.”

“A really handsome distraction, yeah.” Lydia softly laughed, bringing her gaze back to Alec’s. “You know that, right? That you’re like a 20? On a scale of 1 to 10?”

“Well, coming from a 30, that’s a real compliment.” Alec grinned over at Lydia—

Before finally accepting her friend request on Stele.

Lydia then pulled out her own phone, too, as she quickly tagged Alec in a party planning post.

Alec frowned, while a myriad of notifications proceeded to flood his screen…

“Get used to it, babe.” Lydia playfully nudged Alec in his shoulder. “People are going to be all over you.”

******************************

**_Six Months Later_ **

Lydia watched Alec from across the field—

He was laughing along with a few other archery guys, as they stood around a makeshift campfire.

The team had developed a tradition of sneaking onto the field, at least once a semester, and camping out for the night.

Their coach always pretended to be pissed off the next day, but Lydia figured he secretly knew about all of it…

He just had to play dumb so the principal wouldn’t count it against him.

Lydia was currently sitting on the bleachers, wrapped in a heavy blanket. She cautiously picked at a hot-dog, unsure of its nutritional qualities…

Raj soon sat beside her, as he tilted his head to the side. “Beautiful night.”

“Yeah, you can actually, like, see the stars.” Lydia nodded in agreement, before taking a nervous bite of her meal.

“Perfect time to tell Alec Lightwood you’re in love with him.”

Lydia nearly choked on her food, as she turned her head towards Raj. “Raj! What the fuck? What are you talking about?”

Raj loudly laughed, as he leaned back against the bleachers. “As King Of The Bench, I see all, Lydia Branwell. Coach still won’t let me play, so I might as well people-watch. And you two…yeah…there’s something there.”

“And what’s your evidence for that, King Of The Bench?” Lydia played into Raj’s conspiracy theory, as she shifted closer to him.

“Uh, Lightwood has girls sending him nudes _every fucking day_. And he just…deletes them. He doesn’t even _look at them_.” Raj’s tone was lined with confusion, as he continued with his thoughts. “He’s either _super religious_ or he’s already into someone.”

“Or he’s gay.”

“Nah. No fucking way. He’s way too tall to be gay.” Raj shrugged after his phrase—

And Lydia shot him a puzzled look. “Wait. Raj. You think all gay guys are like…short or something?”

“Duh. If he’s 5’9”, you’re doing fine, if he’s under 5’8”, he’s _never been straight_.”

“Raj, that’s…I….” Lydia struggled to find the right words to say to something so utterly nonsensical—

But she was soon distracted by Alec’s laugh echoing across the field.

Fuck.

She could feel her heart _absolutely soaring._

“Go get your man, Branwell. And hand me the rest of that hot-dog. Watching you mutilate that thing is going to make me break out in hives.”

Lydia wordlessly handed Raj the rest of her dinner—

As she emphatically waved a hand at Alec.

Alec eventually noticed her waving, and openly waved right back.

She then nodded towards the bleachers, inviting him over without saying a thing—

And Alec roughly patted another archery guy on his back, before heading over to the bleachers.

“Fuck. This is gonna’ be wild!” Raj’s excitement showed through his voice, as he bit into the secondhand hot-dog.

“Get lost, Raj!” Lydia motioned for Raj to leave the bleachers, and he responded with an audible groan.

“Fine. But you better keep me updated on this. You guys are my favorite show on the field—”

“Raj! Go!”

***********************************

“Sorry about making you come under the bleachers.” Lydia sighed, as she settled her blanket against the ground. “I just didn’t want Raj to see anything. He’s a—”

“Wait, Raj is _here_? I didn’t even see him…” Alec moved to sit beside Lydia on her blanket. “Raj is real, right? Like, he’s definitely not a ghost?”

Lydia nervously chuckled at Alec’s joke, before looking down at the grass. “You’re really funny, Alec.”

“Thanks.”

“And…really cute.”

“Thanks.”

“And…smart.”

“Thanks.”

“And…nice.”

“Thanks.” Alec smirked over at Lydia, before he nonchalantly placed a finger under her chin, lifting her face back towards his own. “Where are you going with this, Branwell?”

Lydia opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t find the right words—

And instead, she found herself forcefully pressing her lips against Alec’s.

When she finally moved her mouth away from his, she could feel her cheeks blushing a solid red.

_This was the most embarrassing thing that she’d ever done._

Lydia had never made the first move with a guy before.

By now, if she liked them, and they liked her, they’d already be Stele official.

But Alec was so…different.

So much harder to read.

“I’m sorry…I just…I like you.” Lydia chose to look up at the bleachers, barely able to take in the night sky from their position. “Sorry.”

She once again felt Alec’s hand on her chin, as he pulled her face down for another kiss.

And when their lips finally parted, he was smiling, wide. “I like you, too, Lydia. When you’re like this.”

“Like _this_? Like what?” Lydia was slightly offended, and it was showing in her tone. “One of your fangirls?”

“No. When you’re…real. When you’re…you.” Alec quietly reached for Lydia’s hand, as he gently took her palm into his own. “You’re so…different.”

“Yeah, well—” Lydia’s sentence was cut short by her phone ringing in her pocket.

It was a notification from Stele.

Out of curiosity, she opened the link to the photo…

And it was a picture of Camille, happily smiling next to some guy with bright red streaks in his hair and glitter threaded into his eyebrows.

“Who’s that?” Alec stared down at her phone, as he pointed to the picture on the screen.

“Old friend. Old life. John and I used to be friends with her, before he became _The Rising Star of Alicante High_. And then we just…lost touch, I guess.” Lydia sighed, as she peered down at the screen. “Although, I don’t know who the fuck that guy is. He looks like a hot fucking mess.”

Alec nodded in agreement, even though he didn’t agree with her at all.

He actually thought the guy on-screen was pretty cute, and his glittering eyebrows seemed to represent a freedom so joyous that it almost brought a smile to Alec’s face.

He wished he could be free like that.

Someday.

Instead, he pulled Lydia even closer, as he softly pressed his lips to her neck. “You wanna’ make out?”

Lydia giggled, as she put down her phone. “ _Gross_ , Lightwood. Why would I wanna’ do that?”

The two shared in a moment of whispered affection and laughter—

Before their lips found each other, all over again.

*************************

“Lydia Branwell!” Maryse enthusiastically welcomed Lydia into the Lightwood home, as she pulled her into her arms. “Oh, I have heard _such good things_ about you!”

Isabelle quietly watched her mother embrace Lydia—

Before Isabelle turned her own attention to Alec, who was still standing in the doorway.

Isabelle hastily made her way over to her brother, before she slapped him against his shoulder.

“Hey! What the hell, Izzy?”

“What the hell are you _doing_ , Alec?” Isabelle looked up at Alec, as she crossed her arms against her chest. “Seriously? You’re bringing _another one_ home?”

“What’s wrong with bringing people home if I like them?” Alec leaned against the doorway, while keeping his voice perfectly stoic. “Besides, mom seems to like her, already.”

“Do _you_ like her?” Isabelle narrowed her eyes, as she took a step closer to Alec.

“Yes, Izzy. Of course, I like her. Why else would I bring her home—”

“You’re so full of shit, Alec.” Isabelle cut off Alec’s sentence, as she rolled her eyes. “You lied to me about dad, and now you’re going to lie to me about this, too?”

“I’m not lying.”

“Yes, you fucking are.” Isabelle flipped her hair over her shoulder, before starting to walk away. “And if you hurt somebody else with your bullshit, I’m never going to forgive you.”

Alec’s blood went cold in his veins.

He knew that his relationship with Isabelle had been strained since she found out about their father’s affair, but he never imagined that she could be so upset with him…

Alec had only lied about their father's affair to protect his sister's feelings…

He never wanted to hurt Isabelle.

And he never wanted to hurt Lydia, either...

Because Alec genuinely cared about Lydia Branwell.

He found her incredibly charming, when she wasn’t so obsessed with her popularity, when she actually took the time to be _nice_ …

There was something so sweet about her, buried underneath a shallow, petty, cut-throat exterior.

“Alec! Come here! Let me see how you two photograph together.” Maryse motioned for her son to come stand beside Lydia—

And soon, Alec was leaning into Lydia’s side, as they posed for an impromptu picture.

Once Maryse’s phone had finished flashing, she nearly squealed with joy. “Oh, Alec…you two look perfect for each other.”

Lydia moved to peer at Maryse’s phone, before a smile broke across her face.

Lydia then turned that same smile over towards Alec. “Perfect for each other…I think so, too.”

Alec faked a smile back at Lydia—

As his heart sped up behind his chest.

*****************************************

Lydia laid her head on Alec’s shoulder, as she looked up at his ceiling—

His skylight perfectly angled the sunshine across his room.

The warmth of the rays reminded her of Alec’s smile…

And soon, she looked up at Alec, too. “Alec.”

“Yeah?” Alec had his eyes closed, as he leaned back against a pillow.

As another ray of sunshine pleasantly made its way over her skin, Lydia could feel a quite familiar emotion, finally bubbling right to the surface. “I love you.”

Lydia waited for Alec’s reply, closely watching his face for a change in his expression…

“Lydia…I…”

“You don’t have to say it back.” Lydia subtly chuckled, before she playfully poked his forehead. “I know it takes guys a little longer to figure that shit out.”

Lydia sighed, as she reached for her phone, pulling up her Stele account. “But can we _at least_ make this thing Stele Official? I’m tired of seeing all those girls tag you in their bikini selfies.” Lydia scoffed, before looking back up at Alec.

“I’m gay.” The words came out soft and quiet, with Alec’s eyes still fully closed.

“What?”

“Lydia, I’m…gay. I’m gay.” Alec’s eyes finally opened, as he took in a deep breath. “And I’m sorry…for lying to you.”

“Alec, that’s not fucking funny. Making fun of gay people is super fucked up—”

“I’m not making fun of anything, Lydia. I’m just…me.”

Lydia’s face now hovered over Alec’s, her confusion plain on her expression. “But you kiss me…you kiss me, all the time…”

“Kissing you felt good.” Alec admitted, as he stared up at Lydia. “But—”

“But you think you’d rather be kissing guys.” Lydia finished off Alec’s sentence with another scoff. “So, what? Was this your plan all along? Latch onto the popular girl, make her fall for you and then ditch her once you’re King of Alicante?”

“Lydia, no.” Alec instinctively moved his hands to Lydia’s waist. “You don’t even know how much I appreciate you, okay? If you weren’t so nice to me, I never would’ve been…anything. I never would’ve really been anyone.”

Lydia moved away from Alec’s hands on her sides. “Don’t touch me like that…you don’t get to touch me like that…”

“I’m sorry—”

“And stop saying you’re fucking sorry! It doesn’t matter. You still fucking did it.” Lydia rose away from the bed, as she opened her mouth to speak—

But there wasn’t anything left to say.

There wasn’t a thing in the world that Lydia could say to make Alec Lightwood _love her back_.

And that’s all she really wanted…

For Alec to say he _loved her, too_.

She wanted to meet the rest of his family, his dad and little brother.

She wanted to spend a Christmas with the Lightwoods, making cutesy gingerbread houses alongside Alec’s mom.

She wanted to finally hold Alec’s hand in the hallway, as they made their way in-between classes.

And it was a nearly incomprehensible feeling…

Feeling her silly, little daydreams die right in front of her.

Feeling her heart growing cold in her chest.

“Lydia…” Alec’s voice sounded broken, as he stood away from the bed—

But Lydia quickly—

Wordlessly—

Left his bedroom.

****************************

**_Present Day_ **

After that fateful afternoon, everything felt like it was back to normal.

Alec went to his classes, had lunch in the cafeteria, went to archery practice—

And all the while, Lydia seemed like she was back to normal, too, as she wore a bright smile in the halls and excitedly answered questions in their shared classes.

But Alec knew that there’d been a change in her.

Her usual, biting commentary had become _mean_ , laced with a cruelty she didn’t quite possess before.

She seemed more invested than ever in her image, her Stele going from being updated every so often to nearly every five minutes.

And she was so… _fake._

All the way through.

Like there wasn’t an ounce of genuine sweetness left in her entire body.

Alec had tried to reach through to the nervous girl who’d confessed under the bleachers, the girl who so often seemed preoccupied with the sun and the stars—

But his efforts always came up hollow, as Lydia’s façade had completely taken over.

And Alec didn’t know how to fix what he felt he’d broken…

But he still played into Lydia’s games, letting her take pictures of them at practice, going to her parties whenever he got invited, sitting at the designated _popular kid_ table at lunch…

And each day, he’d hoped against hope to see a small glimmer of the old Lydia again—

The Lydia he maybe could’ve loved, somewhere in another lifetime—

But he still hadn’t seen her.

Not since that afternoon in his room.

Not for the past four years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> —[Please Click Here To #SaveShadowhunters](https://saveshadowhunters.com)
> 
> —this was basically a villain origin story L O L GODDAMMIT ALEC STOP BREAKING PEOPLE'S HEARTS
> 
> —[Fic Title Inspiration Right Here (Marina & The Diamonds—"Lies")](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsnlBtlimBA)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _You're too proud to say that you've made a mistake_  
>  You're a coward 'til the end  
> I don't wanna admit, but we're not gonna fit  
> No, I'm not the type that you like  
> Why don't we just pretend? 


	17. No. What? No. Never. Fuck You. No.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah, sorry about that, Magnus.” Underhill lightly sighed, as he looked over at him. “I’m sorry for everything, really. I was an asshole. I know. The prom shit just got out of hand. I can take our names out of the running—”
> 
> “No! No.” Magnus leaned towards Underhill, getting close enough to whisper. “Listen. We have to win.”
> 
> “What—”
> 
> “We have to win. We have to beat Lydia. I called her a basic bitch in the parking lot. There’s no going back for me now.” 
> 
> Underhill chuckled at Magnus’ confession, before taking his own slight step towards Magnus. “Are you sure your boyfriend won’t mind? Winning this thing is going to take us spending a lot of time together.”
> 
> “Alec’s not my boss. He doesn’t make the rules and he can’t fire me.”
> 
> “Yeah, but he can break-up with you.” Underhill’s tone was suspiciously joyful…
> 
> “Alec wouldn’t break up with me. He’s basically obsessed with me.” Magnus’ words came out casual and confident. “So, what do we need to do? Take a few selfies together or something—”
> 
> Underhill leaned towards Magnus, just close enough to kiss his lips—
> 
> And Magnus immediately leaned away. “No. What? No. Never. Fuck you. No.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> —[Come Hang Out With Me On Tumblr! ♥](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com)

**_Back To The Present_ **

“Alec Lightwood, you’re a fucking mess.” Magnus deeply sighed, as he softly closed his textbook.

“But I’m _your_ mess…” Alec tightened his hold around Magnus’ waist. “Which means, you’re supposed to clean me up.”

“Yeah…yeah…” Magnus waved a hand through the air, before blowing out a thoughtless raspberry. “I can’t believe Lydia Branwell used to be less…evil.”

“Yeah, well…” Alec shrugged, as he nuzzled his face into the back of Magnus’ shirt. “Getting your heart broken by an asshole probably puts people in a bad mood.”

“Stop.” Magnus leaned back against Alec’s shoulder, as he gently reached for Alec’s hand. “You’re not an asshole.”

“What? But you just called me a _fucking mess_ —”

“I’m the only person allowed to talk shit about you, because I love you. Anyone else talks shit, they get _hit_.” Magnus emphatically shook his fist in front of his face—

Which caused Alec to break out into a bright laugh. “Are you threatening to _beat me up_ if I say bad things about _myself_?”

Magnus playfully hit Alec a few times on his shoulder. “You think I can’t take you, Lightwood?”

“No, you’d probably kick my ass.” Alec lightly chuckled, before taking Magnus’ fist into his own palm. “Mainly because I wouldn’t fight back. I wouldn’t want to ruin your makeup. I know how much time you spend on it.”

“Oh my God…Oh my God, that’s so sweet. You’d really just let me kick your ass…” Magnus felt himself getting choked up, and he turned his face away from Alec. “My eyeliner would still look flawless…even after knocking you unconscious…”

“Are you _crying_?”

“No! I’m not crying! Shut up!” Magnus’ face fell into his hands, as he began to openly sob. “Oh my Godddddd. You love me so muchhhhhh. Oh my Goddddd.”

“Magnus—”

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Magnus took a deep breath, before tenderly wiping tears away from his eyes. “Anyway, what the hell are we going to do about you and Lydia?”

“…Nothing…” Alec shrugged, as he firmly shook his head. “Does it really matter if she wins Prom Queen? Maybe it’ll even make her—”

“Make her what? _Happy_?” Magnus scoffed, as he rested his elbows against the table. “You think a plastic crown is going to make her feel better?”

“It might…I don’t know. I just…I just want her to be…I just want things to be the way they used to be.” Alec’s expression went stoic, as he quietly sighed under his breath. “I just don’t know how to fix it.”

Magnus opened his mouth to respond—

But instead, he chose to press a soft kiss to Alec’s temple.

Magnus didn’t really know how to fix it, either…

They both then shared in a broad, comfortable silence—

Before Magnus opened his textbook, once again.

******************************

“Vote for BaneHill! Unless you’re a homophobic piece of shit!” Catarina had somehow commandeered a megaphone, and she proceeded to scream at innocent students as they walked down the hall. “Vote for BaneHill! Unless you’re a bigoted piece of human garbage!”

“ _Catarina_.” Ragnor’s voice was lined with amusement, as he came up behind her. He carefully reached for the megaphone, slowly pulling it out of her grip. “Baby, you’re scaring people.”

“I’m not scaring people! I’m campaigning!” Catarina reached for the megaphone—

But Ragnor kept it out of her grasp. “Did Magnus put you up to this?”

“Magnus didn’t put me up to anything. Magnus hasn’t even responded to my texts.” Catarina rolled her eyes, before taking a step closer to her boyfriend. “But whatever. I don’t even know _why_ he’s running for Prom King with Underhill. I thought he hated that guy’s guts.”

“Maybe we should go find Magnus, before you go back to scaring—” Ragnor paused his words, before taking in a shallow breath. “Before you go back to _campaigning_.”

“Yeah. Good idea. Come on. He’s probably re-applying his glitter or something. We should check the bathroom on the second floor—”

“Ragnor! Dude! They’re towing your car! They’re towing your fucking car!”

“ _What?_ ” Ragnor turned to find the source of the exclamation, but they were nowhere to be found…

“Ragnor, baby! Did you hear that? What the fuck?” Catarina was already running towards the parking lot. “Ragnor, come on!”

“Right behind you…” Ragnor was still confused, even as he hastily followed behind Catarina’s footsteps.

*****************************

When Ragnor and Catarina arrived at the parking lot, it was already filled with several onlookers.

Students gathered around in whispering groups, as they watched the tow truck’s rapidly blinking lights.

Ragnor’s Jeep was being hoisted onto a platform, as a man with a backwards cap scribbled something down on a clipboard...

Ragnor quickly approached the man, trying to keep his voice steady and calm. “Yo! What’s going on here, man? That’s my car.”

“Oh? Cool car, man.” The man quietly nodded, as he kept his focus on his clipboard. “ _Too cool_ , actually. A Jeep with no doors isn’t practical…or street legal.”

“No offense, but that isn’t really your call to make, right? You’re not a cop.”

“ _Full offense_ , asshole, but I’m not towing your car because it’s not street legal. I’m towing your car because it was parked illegally.” The man tsk-tsked, as he finally looked up at Ragnor. “You can’t just pick and choose where to park. Parking spots exist _for a reason_.”

“But…but I always park here…everyone knows I park here…” Ragnor’s eyes widened, as he realized the reality of the situation. “How much is it going to cost to get my car back?”

“Hmm. Usually around $100, but since I don’t _like you_? Let’s call it $800.” The man shrugged, before roughly patting Ragnor on his shoulder. “See you at the tow lot, cool guy.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Come on—” Ragnor moved in front of the man’s path, blocking him from the tow truck’s front seat. “Come on, there has to be something—”

“Please!” Catarina chimed into the conversation, too, as she moved to stand beside Ragnor. “Just give us a few minutes to—”

“Outta my way, kiddos.” The man nudged Ragnor in his shoulder—

And Ragnor wordlessly acquiesced, slightly moving out of the man’s way…

Ragnor then somberly moved towards the back of the tow truck, as he feebly waved goodbye to his Jeep. “I’ll see you later, sweetheart…”

“What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck?” Magnus’ voice cut through Ragnor’s sad farewell, as he was soon standing right behind him. “Where the fuck are they taking our car?”

“We got towed for _illegal parking_ …” Catarina answered Magnus’ question, while moving to rest her head on Ragnor’s shoulder. “Which is complete bullshit. Someone must’ve narc’d.”

“Who the fuck would—”

And that’s when Magnus saw her.

_Lydia Branwell._

She was standing across the parking lot, surrounded by her usual gang of suck-ups and wannabes.

And she was currently wearing a dazzling smile, as she threw her hair back over her shoulder—

Before she offered Magnus a subtle wink, quickly followed by an ecstatic wave.

“That’s it…that’s it…” Magnus glanced back at the tow truck—

And he soon grabbed the megaphone out of Ragnor’s hand—

Before shakily climbing the side of the truck, not stopping until his feet were firmly planted on top of Ragnor’s Jeep.

“Magnus! What the hell are you doing?” Catarina yelled up at Magnus...

But he completely ignored her, as he began to loudly clear his throat.

Magnus then nervously brought the megaphone up to his lips, as his hands began to anxiously tremble. “Lydia Branwell!”

Lydia, and the rest of Alicante High, turned to face the tow truck, their eyes actively watching Magnus’ frame.

“You…listen…I know that you’ve had some hard times, okay? And…I know _why_ you’re…I know why you’re the way you are—”

“Kid! Get the fuck off my truck!” The man stuck his head out of the driver side window, now looking up at Magnus. “I’ve got places to be!”

Magnus grimaced, as he gripped onto the megaphone even tighter. “You know what, Lydia? I was _actually_ going to let you win Prom Queen, because I felt _bad for you_. But now? Now, I see you for what you really are. Maybe you used to be a nice person, maybe somewhere, deep down, you still are—”

“Get to the point, Bane!” Lydia shouted back at Magnus from across the parking lot. “God. You really should’ve signed up for that Public Speaking class!”

“Oh, _my point?_ You want me to get to _my point_?” Magnus wanted so badly to flip Lydia the bird, but he managed to rest his hand by his side. “ _My point_ is…my point is…”

Magnus quickly racked his brain for the best possible response, before he decided to turn and face the growing crowd. “My point is that Alicante High can either vote for a basic bitch…or they can vote for a _bad bitch_.”

“Vote BaneHill?” Catarina’s words came out as a question, her face turned up towards Magnus.

“Vote BaneHill.” Magnus nodded down at Catarina, before he cautiously threw the megaphone into her hands.

Catarina smirked, as she twirled back towards the still-watching students. “You heard what the man said! Vote BaneHill! Do you people want a basic bitch or a bad bitch?”

“A bad bitch!” Some students answered Catarina’s question, before breaking out into an excited cheer. “Bad bitch! Bad bitch! Bad bitch!”

Magnus smiled to himself, not noticing that he’d lost a few inches of his footing—

And soon, he was falling through the air, his arms wildly waving in the wind—

Thankfully, he landed with a thud in Ragnor’s waiting arms.

Ragnor carefully set Magnus down, before giving him a warm pat on the back. “Nice speech. Didn’t think you really wanted to be Prom King, though.”

“I don’t. I just want Lydia to _not_ be Prom Queen. That’s what she gets for fucking with my friends.” Magnus settled himself on his feet, as he looked over at Ragnor. “That’s what she gets for fucking with my _family_.”

Ragnor’s expression filled with delight, even as the tow truck backed out of the parking lot. He peered one last time at his truck, before turning back towards Magnus. “Hey…Do you think you could ask your boyfriend for some cash?”

“How much cash?”

“I dunno. $800?”

“You want me to ask my boyfriend for $800? How am I supposed to pay him back?”

Ragnor shrugged, before jutting his tongue inside of his cheek—

Obviously imitating a blowjob.

“Fine. But if I’m going to be on my knees for that long, I’m going to need to borrow your kneepads.” Magnus was already making his way back towards the school’s main building.

“Magnus, I was just kidding—”

“I said it’s fine, Ragnor! Just let me get some kneepads out of your locker!”

“Magnus Fucking Bane.” Ragnor blew out a heavy breath, before a quiet smile crossed his face—

He soon followed Magnus, heading back to the main building, too.

*****************************

“Why are you wearing those kneepads?” Underhill eyed Magnus up and down, while quirking up an eyebrow. “Since when do you skateboard?”

“They’re not for skateboarding. They’re for—”

_For giving my boyfriend the blowjob equivalent of $800._

“They’re for something else.” Magnus waved off Underhill’s question, before leaning against Underhill’s locker. “So…BaneHill….?”

“Yeah, sorry about that, Magnus.” Underhill lightly sighed, as he looked over at him. “I’m sorry for everything, really. I was an asshole. I know. The prom shit just got out of hand. I can take our names out of the running—”

“No! No.” Magnus leaned towards Underhill, getting close enough to whisper. “Listen. We _have_ to win.”

“What—”

“We _have to win_. We have to beat Lydia. I called her a basic bitch in the parking lot. There’s no going back for me now.”  

Underhill chuckled at Magnus’ confession, before taking his own slight step towards Magnus. “Are you sure your boyfriend won’t mind? Winning this thing is going to take us spending a lot of time together.”

“Alec’s not my boss. He doesn’t make the rules and he can’t fire me.”

“Yeah, but he can break-up with you.” Underhill’s tone was suspiciously joyful…

“Alec wouldn’t break up with me. He’s basically _obsessed_ with me.” Magnus’ words came out casual and confident. “So, what do we need to do? Take a few selfies together or something—”

Underhill leaned towards Magnus, just close enough to kiss his lips—

And Magnus immediately leaned away. “No. What? No. _Never._ Fuck you. No.”

“I wasn’t going to kiss you.” Underhill sighed, as he leaned towards Magnus again. He delicately ran his fingers through Magnus’ hair, before slowly sliding his palm down the side of Magnus’ face—

And Magnus heard the distinct sound of someone swooning nearby. Magnus cringed, as he peered around Underhill, watching a female student be carried down the hall by her friends…

_What the fuck?_

_Did she pass the fuck out because of Underhill touching his face?_

**_What the_ _fuck?_ **

“PDA. You have to give people something to talk about. Real or fake.” Underhill brought his arm back to his side.

“Then, I guess you’re a really good actor…”

“I’m not acting.” Underhill gave Magnus a barely-there smile. “I still...like you…even if you hate me by now.”

“I don’t hate you, Underhill. I just think…I think that you like the _idea of me_ , better than the real me. But you don’t really know anything about me. I think you think that I’m just going to come into your life, and sprinkle everything with glitter and rainbows, but that’s not who I am. Not all the time.”

“Actually, I think you _do_ sprinkle everything with glitter and rainbows. I think you can’t help it. And Alec seems a lot happier, at least.”

“I didn’t have to sprinkle everything with glitter and rainbows with Alec. That’s just how we make each other feel.” Magnus shrugged, as he took a step away from Underhill’s locker.

“Yeah, well…I’m not too worried about all that.” Underhill now moved away from his own locker, too. “Feelings change, Magnus. Feelings change.”

Underhill punctuated his sentence with a smirk, as he headed down the hallway.

*************************

“Why are you wearing those kneepads?” Alec pointed towards Magnus’ legs, as he sunk down into the passenger seat of Alec’s car. “Wait. You’re not taking me _bowling_ again, are you?”

“Can I borrow $800? Ragnor’s car got towed today, and he needs the money to pay the fine—”

“Sure. Do you have an account I can send it to or something?” Without missing a beat, Alec started up his car. “Or does Ragnor have to pay it in cash?”

“You just…you just _have_ $800…” Magnus shook his head in disbelief. “I swear to God, if it turns out you really _are a prince_ and you’ve just been lying to me this whole time…”

“I’m not a prince, Magnus. I’m just good with money. All those birthday cards really start to add up.” Alec kept his eyes focused on the road, as he pulled out into the street. “Don’t you have a savings account, too?”

Magnus burst out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter…

And a few minutes later, he was still laughing, even as tears began to form behind his eyes. “A _savings account_. Oh God. That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Yeah, let me just take my zero dollars and zero cents down to the nearest bank and open up a _savings account_.”

“We’ll work on your budgeting skills later. I’m guessing you spend a good chunk of your money on makeup—”

“If you try to cut down my makeup supply, I’ll kill you.”

“Okay…maybe we can find another source of bad spending habits…Like, how much did you spend on those kneepads?”

“I didn’t spend anything on these. They’re Ragnor’s. He lent them to me so I could give you a blowjob worthy of giving me $800.” Magnus huffed, as crossed his arms over his chest. “But since you _just have_ $800, I guess I could still give you a blowjob, free of charge." 

“Yeah, you seem real excited about it.” Alec chuckled, while drumming his hands against the steering wheel. “You don’t _have to_ give me a blowjob. You don’t owe me anything. I’m just helping out Ragnor because he’s your friend, and you care about him.”

“That’s so sweet…” Magnus beamed to himself, before turning towards Alec. “You should pull over.”

“What?”

“You. Should. Pull. Over.” Magnus purposely enunciated his words, hoping Alec would be able to pick up on the subtext. “Now.”

Alec obeyed Magnus’ order, eventually pulling over onto a rather secluded stretch of road.

“Okay, now what—”

Magnus was already reaching for the zipper on Alec’s jeans. He’d practically become an expert at this by now, and it barely took him any time at all to get past the first layer of denim and the second layer of Alec’s cotton boxers—

And soon enough, Magnus’ mouth was on Alec’s shaft.

Alec groaned, as he leaned further against the driver’s seat. “Magnus…”

“Mmhmm?” Magnus responded without moving his mouth away from Alec, letting the vibrations from his question hum against Alec’s length.

Alec softly moaned, as he brought his hands down into Magnus’ hair. “How are you so good at that?”

This time, Magnus moved away from Alec, replacing his mouth with his hand. “That’s why my rates are so high. $800 a pop.”

Alec wanted to add something to the conversation—

But his words turned into a moan in his throat, as Magnus began to firmly slide his hand up and down Alec’s shaft.

“Wait, wait, wait…” Alec grabbed onto Magnus’ wrist, as he looked him directly in the eye. “I don’t want to finish like this. I want…I want to be inside you.”

“Oh, so, did you want to go back to your place or—”

“No. My mom’s gonna’ be home all day…” Alec brushed his fingers alongside Magnus’ shoulder. “What about…your place?”

“My place?”

“Yeah…” Alec tried to hide the growing nervousness in his stomach. “It’s just…you’ve never actually…invited me over…”

“I don’t…really…go…there…”

“You don’t _go home_?”

“I go home when I _have to_. I’m usually just over at Catarina’s. Or Ragnor’s.” Magnus shrugged, before shifting back into his seat. “I mean…we can go…if you really want to…”

“I’m sorry, Magnus. We don’t have to go, if you don’t want to. I was just trying to get to know that side of you a little better…” Alec gritted his teeth, as he re-zipped his fly. “Forget I said anything, okay?”

Magnus let out an extended groan, as he brought his eyes to a close. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“Let’s go to my place. Why the fuck not?” Magnus readjusted in his seat, as he reached for his seat-belt. “You can meet my dad and everything.”

“Oh…uh…okay…if you’re sure…” Alec stuck his key back into the ignition, waiting a few seconds for the car to come back to life.

“I’m sure. I love you, Alec. I wouldn’t have been able to hide this, forever, anyway…And I don’t really want to hide it, either. At least not from you.” Magnus reached for Alec’s hand, taking Alec’s palm into his own.

Alec then wordlessly pressed a kiss to Magnus’ knuckles, before putting his hands back on the steering wheel. “So, what’s the deal? Is your dad a real asshole or something? Is that why you don’t like going home?”

“Asshole? Yeah, you could say that…” Magnus scoffed under his breath, as he looked out the passenger side window. “My dad’s just a real fucking devil.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> —[Please Click Here To #SaveShadowhunters](https://www.saveshadowhunters.com/social-media)
> 
> —Magnus' dad!!! AHHH!!!! I legit can't wait for y'all to meet him omg HE'S A MESS BUT ALSO MY FAVORITE PROBLEMATIC PERSON ♥♥♥
> 
> —y'all thought Lydia was the true villain of this story WHEN REALLY IT WAS THAT TOW TRUCK ASSHOLE THE ENTIRE TIME FUCK THAT GUY TBH
> 
> —P.S. VOTE BANEHILL LOVE IS LOVE BAD BITCHES ONLY


	18. Tanzoonian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec was soon by Magnus’ side, grabbing onto his hand. “Wait…Magnus, are you moving?” Alec’s grip tightened on Magnus’ palm, as he looked around the room. “Tell me you’re not moving…”
> 
> “No one’s moving, no one’s moving.” Asmodeus appeared from the kitchen, carrying an assortment of pots and pans. “Magnus! You’re home! Wonderful! I’m going to need your help with—”
> 
> Asmodeus stopped his words, as he suddenly looked over at Alec. “Wait. Who's this? Is he a cop?”
> 
> “He’s not a cop, dad. He’s cool.” Magnus nervously shifted on his heels. “You’re cool, right, Alec?”
> 
> “Yeah, I’m cool, I’m cool…” Alec waved a hand over at Asmodeus. “Hi, I’m Alec Lightwood—”
> 
> “Lightwood?” Asmodeus scoffed, as he dropped the pots and pans directly onto the floor. “Magnus! He’s worse than a cop! He’s military! He’s the goddamn government!”
> 
> “No! He’s not! He’s just…” Magnus groaned, before dropping to pick up the pots and pans. “Dad, he’s just my boyfriend. That’s all he is, okay?”
> 
> “You?” Asmodeus’ jaw dropped open in surprise. “You’re fucking my son?”
> 
> “Dad!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come Hang Out With Me On [Tumblr](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com) & [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OctoberDecemb12)! ♥♥♥

**_The Past_ **

_Magnus’ tears blurred his vision, as he sniffled over the breakfast table…_

_He’d barely made it through his bowl of cereal._

_He didn’t want to go back._

_Not today._

_Not ever again._

_All his therapy appointment ever did was make him cry. He knew the appointments were something suggested by some court, something to help him deal with his anger…_

_Just because he’d gotten in a few fights on the playground._

_Just because he’d busted a few kids in their noses._

_But Magnus didn’t mean to do it. He’d said sorry so many times._

_Still, they were making him go back to that awful place, back to talk about his mom, back to talk about his dad—_

_His dad._

_Magnus hadn’t seen his dad in months. Not since Magnus' mom had died._

_And not since his dad had dropped him off at his brother’s house._

_Uncle Asmodeus had been Magnus’ favorite relative. He’d usually bring Magnus the biggest, most expensive gifts on his birthday, and the way his uncle could so easily charm everyone in the room with his card tricks and sleight of hand was absolutely magical._

_Although, Magnus didn’t know about living with him. Not like this._

_Magnus just wanted so badly to go home…_

_And he could feel himself beginning to cry even harder when he realized that he didn’t even have a home anymore._

_There wasn’t anywhere for Magnus to **go**._

_Everything was just…gone._

_“What’s all this, then?” Asmodeus’ voice broke through Magnus’ thoughts, as he took a seat beside him at the breakfast table. “You’re crying? Why?”_

_“I don’t wanna’ go to therapy today.” Magnus admitted the truth, as he wiped a tear away from his cheek. “Please, don’t make me go, Esme.”_

_Asmodeus leaned down towards Magnus, pulling his small frame closer to his side. “I can’t let you skip out on therapy, mijn zon. But…I do have a surprise for you.”_

_Asmodeus reached down into his jacket pocket, retrieving a wallet-sized, makeup palette. The colors were all tinged with sparkling glitter, ranging from silver to maroon. He gently sat it down on the table, before gingerly patting Magnus on his shoulder. “This is the one you wanted, yes? The one you had your eye on at the mall?”_

_“No.” Magnus calmly lied, as he looked away from the makeup palette._

_“Magnus…” Asmodeus lightly sighed, while pushing the palette over towards Magnus. “Why are you lying to me?”_

_“Dad said…dad said that stuff’s just for girls.”_

_“Well, dad’s not around, right now, is he?” Asmodeus playfully grinned. “Come on, mijn zon.”_

_Magnus firmly shook his head, and soon averted his gaze away from the palette, entirely._

_“Hmm. Alright then.” Asmodeus emphatically shrugged, as he opened the palette in front of him. He brushed a finger or two along the silver powder, before delicately dabbing it under his eyes—_

_Which caused Magnus to break out into a laugh. “That’s not for under your eyes, Esme.”_

_“Oh? Then what’s it for?”_

_Magnus rolled his eyes, as he expertly reached for the brush alongside the palette. He proceeded to carefully brush the powder alongside Asmodeus’ cheeks, quietly humming to himself until he’d finished the application._

_“There.” Magnus held up the palette’s mirror, letting Asmodeus have a final view. “See?”_

_“Amazing work, mijn zon, amazing work.” Asmodeus brightly smiled over at Magnus. “Maybe when you get back from your appointment, you could give me a full makeover.”_

_“Only in exchange for something else.”_

_“Only in exchange for something else?” Asmodeus giddily chuckled. “Yes, that’s right, Magnus! You’re learning. Never do anything for free. That’s how the world works…”_

_Asmodeus beamed with pride, as he lifted away from the breakfast table. “Alright, then. You’ll give me a full makeover, in exchange for the secret behind one of my oldest card tricks.”_

_“The one where you make the cards change colors?!” Magnus couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice, as he soon stood in front of Asmodeus. “That’s my favorite one!”_

_“Then that’s the one you shall learn.” Asmodeus offered his palm to Magnus, as he then nodded towards the apartment’s front door. “Come along, mijn zon. The sooner you finish your appointment, the sooner I can teach you the trick.”_

_Magnus grinned up at Asmodeus, before he eagerly ran for the front door—_

_He just couldn’t wait to get back home._

**_The Present_ **

“Dad?” Magnus stepped into the apartment, his tone already filled with concern.

There was a mysterious abundance of large, cardboard boxes…

Although, Magnus had no idea why. Were they moving? His dad hadn’t said anything—

To be fair, though, Magnus hadn’t been home in a week or two.

Alec was soon by Magnus’ side, grabbing onto his hand. “Wait…Magnus, are you moving?” Alec’s grip tightened on Magnus’ palm, as he looked around the room. “Tell me you’re not moving…”

“No one’s moving, no one’s moving.” Asmodeus appeared from the kitchen, carrying an assortment of pots and pans. “Magnus! You’re home! Wonderful! I’m going to need your help with—”

Asmodeus stopped his words, as he suddenly looked over at Alec. “Wait. Who's this? Is he a _cop_?”

“He’s not a cop, dad. He’s cool.” Magnus nervously shifted on his heels. “You’re cool, right, Alec?”

“Yeah, I’m cool, I’m cool…” Alec waved a hand over at Asmodeus. “Hi, I’m Alec Lightwood—”

“ _Lightwood_?” Asmodeus scoffed, as he dropped the pots and pans directly onto the floor. “Magnus! He’s worse than a _cop_! He’s military! He’s _the goddamn government_!”

“No! He’s not! He’s just…” Magnus groaned, before dropping to pick up the pots and pans. “Dad, he’s just my boyfriend. That’s all he is, okay?”

“ _You_?” Asmodeus’ jaw dropped open in surprise. “You’re _fucking my son_?”

“Dad!”

“Not now, Magnus. Go to your room for a minute or two. I need to have a chat with the Lightwood.”

“Oh my God, oh my God…” Magnus turned towards Alec, as he quietly mouthed the words _I’m sorry_. He then made his way to the back of the apartment, groaning a little louder with each step.

“So? What’s your con?” Asmodeus smirked over at Alec, as he took a step closer to him.

“My…my con?”

“Come on, Lightwood. Everyone has a con. An angle. A reason for being as they are…” Asmodeus took in a deep breath, before eyeing Alec up and down. “Are you using my son to piss off your father? Mother? Bringing someone like my Magnus into  _your kind of household_  would probably ruffle a few feathers.”

“No. I just like…well, I just love him—”

“ _Love him_?” Asmodeus roughly clapped Alec on his shoulder. “Well, if you love him, why didn’t you just say so? That’ll be $1000. I’ll take cash or a check.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ah, I see Magnus neglected to tell you.” Asmodeus clasped his hands together, before giving Alec an obvious wink. “You see, in our culture, when you fall in love with one of our children, as a show of good faith, you’re expected to pay their family a small offering. Just something that shows you’ll be able to provide for my child in the future.”

“Uh…when you say _culture_ …what culture, exactly are you—”

“Tanzoonian.”

“Tanzanian?”

“No. Tanzoonian. Magnus and I are originally from Tanzoonia. Small country. A bit embarrassing you haven’t heard of it, though. You must not be paying enough attention in your Geography classes.” Asmodeus beamed back at Alec, before holding out both of his own palms. “So? How about it? $1000? Cash? Check?”

Alec hesitated—

And Asmodeus clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Shame, shame, shame. I thought you loved him. Well, nevermind! Young love is notoriously fickle—”

“Wait.” Alec grimaced, as he reached for his wallet. “I can write you a check.”

“Are you certain?”

“It’s not a problem…” Alec winced, as he thought about his depleting bank account. First, Ragnor’s car? And now _this_?

But...

Magnus Bane was worth it.

Even if Alec ended up completely bankrupt.

Asmodeus handed Alec a pen, as he watched the Lightwood with curious eyes…

Alec then turned towards a nearby wall, using the support to finish filling out the check’s information. “Who should I make it out to?”

“MAGNUS!” Asmodeus’ voice boomed through the room, before it was cut off by his own laughter. “Magnus Bane! Come here at once!”

Magnus cautiously crept back into the room, as he looked between Alec and Asmodeus. “Is everything…good?”

“Magnus Bane, this boy was going to give me $1000, just so he could continue on in your relationship.” Asmodeus confidently folded his arms behind his back. “He is a fool. A _rich fool_. And his heart is yours…”

Asmodeus then quickly crossed the room, soon gathering Magnus up into his embrace. “This is your greatest con, yet, _mijn zon_. I’ve never been so proud of you. A rich man’s heart is the prize of a lifetime.”

“It’s not a _con_ , dad.” Magnus wiggled out of Asmodeus’ arms. “I love him, too.”

“Whatever.” Asmodeus waved off Magnus’ declaration of love, as he paced back towards the stack of cardboard boxes. “Enjoy your relationship while it lasts. Love is a beautiful con, but God, is it capricious. I prefer to keep my own cons simple. For example, Magnus? Would you come here for a moment?”

“Wait, sorry. Am I _not_ supposed to give you $1000?” Alec’s puzzlement laced his tone, as he brought the check back to his side. “I don’t really...uh…what just happened?"

Magnus moved towards Alec, hastily ripping the check to shreds. He then gave Alec a sweet kiss on the cheek, before he happily smiled up at him. “I love you, Alec Lightwood, but you’re a total sucker.”

“Magnus! I don’t have time! Come, come! Get in the box!” Asmodeus shook an empty box in Magnus’ direction.

“Dad, I didn’t come home to get involved in one of your _schemes_. Alec just wanted to meet you.”

“Magnus, there is absolutely no reason for you to _not_ get in this box! You are positively box-sized!” Asmodeus shook the box again, this time a bit more frantically. “There’s no time to waste! We’ll need to have you shipped out before midnight—”

“I’m going to my room, dad.” Magnus grabbed onto Alec’s hand, as he moved them several steps away from Asmodeus. “ _We’re_ going to my room.”

“Fine! I’ll need to leave soon, anyway. I need to find another box-sized individual…” Asmodeus mumbled to himself, as he quickly headed out the front door. “Don’t touch my boxes! And don’t sign a prenup!”

Magnus completely ignored his dad’s parting words, as he brought Alec back to his bedroom.

**************************************

“So, you’re not Tanzoonian?”

“Alec, no. My dad made that up.” Magnus chuckled, as he rested his head on Alec’s chest. “He was just trying to get $1000 out of you. He’s always trying to get $1000 out of everyone.”

“Is he…is he like…a thief?” Alec’s question came out nervous, not wanting to insult Magnus’ family. “Sorry. I just—”

“No. He's not a thief...well...maybe...he is...but it’s usually just people who have it coming?” Magnus shrugged, before nuzzling his face into Alec’s shirt. “But…he thinks _everyone_ kinda’ has it coming…so...yeah..."

“But you’re not like that…” Alec idly ran his hand down the center of Magnus’ back. “You’re not like him at all.”

“I’m more like him than you think.” Magnus smiled into Alec’s shirt fabric. “He’s the one who taught me nearly every magic trick I know. That’s what he used to do, too. Magic. Before he realized there was more money in straight up stealing from people.”

Magnus silently rose his face back up towards Alec’s. “He wasn’t always like this, you know. I used to come home and we’d just be a normal family…But then, one summer, when he figured I was old enough to stick to a lie...he started having me _help_. With his cons. With his schemes. And that’s when I stopped coming home so much. When he started treating me like a partner in crime. Like I was supposed to help him, just because he took me in.”

“Took you in? I thought he was your dad.”

“I don’t wanna’ talk about it.” Magnus gave Alec a barely-there smile, before moving his palms up Alec’s shirt. “I don’t really wanna’ _talk_ about anything…”

Alec wanted to push the issue—

But he could clearly see the sadness hidden behind Magnus’ eyes. And since Alec wasn’t sure about how to make the sadness go away, he instead shifted forward, until Magnus was lying back against the bed, and Alec was hovering over him.

“Then let’s not _talk_.” Alec bent to slowly drag his lips along Magnus’ neck. “Fuck. Why does your skin taste so good?”

“Edible honey lotion…it’s organic…costs $56 per bottle…”

“Okay, Magnus, we’re going to need to really sit down and talk about your spending—”

“Shh.” Magnus smiled up at Alec, while his hands worked at pulling Alec’s shirt over his head. “I thought we said no talking.”

“ _Right_.” Alec smirked back down at Magnus, before suddenly moving to strip Magnus’ lower half, easily removing Magnus’ pants and boxers. “Hey…Can I try something?”

“Sure! Did you want to tie me up? Spank me? Drip hot wax on me? Make me call you Daddy—”

“ _No._ What? None of that.” Alec looked momentarily embarrassed, his own desire now seeing tame in comparison to Magnus’ suggestions. “I…um…wanted to…eat you out…maybe…”

“Oh. Uh…”

“Is that weird? Sorry, if it’s weird—”

“It’s not weird!” Magnus shook his head, as he rolled away from the bedsheets. “I just need to take a quick shower? Didn’t expect your mouth _back there_.”

“Can I join you?” Alec was already trailing behind Magnus, now wrapping his arms around Magnus’ waist. “Is _that_ weird?”

“No. Stop saying things are weird.” Magnus laughed a little, as he moved towards his shower with Alec’s arms still firmly wrapped around his sides. “You are as vanilla as an ice cream cone, Alec Lightwood. Nothing you want is weird, okay? I promise.”

Magnus moved out of Alec’s embrace, just so he could finish taking off the rest of his own clothes, letting them carelessly land on the bathroom floor. Alec did the same, until he was just as undressed as Magnus—

And he quietly watched as Magnus turned on his showerhead.

Magnus soon motioned for Alec to follow behind him, as he cautiously took a step inside his shower. “Here. Stand right here.”

Alec nodded with understanding, taking his place right behind Magnus. He then took the time to look around Magnus’ shower, noting the various kinds of fragrant gels and creams, the glitter-dusted body scrubbers, the expensive looking shampoo—

And, instead of feeling the need to criticize Magnus yet again for his spending choices—

Alec felt a sense of… _pride_?

He couldn’t quite pinpoint the feeling…

But he remembered feeling the exact same way when he’d finally learned how to hit the bulls-eye with his arrows.

Being this close to Magnus, being in such an intimate space with the person he loved—

Alec thought that it was somehow even _better_ than hitting the bulls-eye.

If that even made any _sense_.

Alec kissed the back of Magnus’ head, as he pressed an arm around him. “You’re perfect.”

“And _you’re_ throwing off my balance…” Magnus huffed, before reaching for the nearest body scrubber. “Can you pass me that pink soap behind you?”

“Hmm. No.” Alec thoughtfully hummed, while his free hand wrapped around Magnus’ shaft. “Not yet.”

Magnus brought his hands to his mouth, in an attempt to muffle the sound of his moaning.

And Alec casually continued to work his hand against Magnus, his movements only getting more forceful as Magnus grew harder in his palm.

“Alec…” Magnus whimpered between his fingers, his eyes firmly closed shut. “Please…”

“Please what?”

“ _You know what_.” Magnus’ words were interrupted by one of his own moans. “Please. I’m dying.”

“Why do you always say you’re dying…” Alec was slightly amused, as he began to pump his hand even harder against Magnus, now feeling shivers going down Magnus’ spine. “Just say you’re close. Are you close?”

“I’m dead…I’m dead…” Magnus mumbled through his thoughts, his body having already arrived at its _destination_. Magnus leaned back against Alec for support—

Completely forgetting that they were standing in _the shower_ —

And both of them soon landed on the shower floor, with water still cascading across their skin.

Alec tried to take most of the impact, purposely pulling Magnus’ arms towards his side before they went tumbling down.

“Fuck! Alec! Are you okay?!” Magnus turned towards Alec, quickly looking over his body for any obvious injuries. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Alec didn’t bother to respond. Not that he could, anyway. He was laughing way too hard to even try to form a complete sentence.

Instead, he pulled Magnus in closer, managing to plant a kiss on Magnus’ lips in-between his blaring laughter.

*********************

Magnus was taking a _real shower now_ , as Alec lied down on Magnus’ bed.

He’d heard Magnus’ phone vibrating a few times in his castaway pants, somewhere on the bedroom floor, but Alec didn’t really think anything of it…

Until the phone kept going off…

Again and again and again…

Concern crept into Alec’s chest, as he finally reached for Magnus’ phone.

What if something had happened to Catarina?

What if something had happened to Ragnor?

Alec unlocked Magnus’ screen with shaky hands, feeling a little horrified at the prospect of having to tell Magnus that something _had happened_ to one of his friends.

But Alec soon realized that Magnus’ phone was being flooded with Stele notifications…

Curiosity got the better of Alec, as he decided to open the app’s front page—

_Underhill_Underhill is now in a relationship with Magnus Bane_

The updated relationship status had over 200 likes so far—

They were still rolling in, too, lighting up Magnus’ screen, heart emoji after heart emoji nearly suffocating the page…

And Alec let Magnus’ phone fall to the ground with a muted thud. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> —[Please Click Here To #SaveShadowhunters](https://www.saveshadowhunters.com/social-media)
> 
> —I LOVE ASMODEUS I LOVE HIM ALSO IF ANY OF Y'ALL ARE BOX SIZED PLEASE LET HIM KNOW HE NEEDS HELP
> 
> —Fun Fact: "mijn zon" according to Google Translate means "my sun" in Dutch. Asmodeus calls Magnus that because of Magnus' golden eyes :') he is literally saying that Magnus lights up his world :') and also it sounds a lot like son without being son
> 
> —Fun Fact #2: Magnus called Asmodeus "Esme" before he started calling him dad :') and now he just calls him dad :') NICE :')


	19. You Let Me Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maryse offered Alec a final smile, before she headed out of the living room…
> 
> And Alec now looked down at the picture on his screen.
> 
> Magnus was leaning on Underhill’s shoulder, with Magnus all wrapped up in a colorful blanket. They were both smirking at the camera, and it looked like they were outside, somewhere…
> 
> The caption underneath the photo read: movie nights with my blanket burrito bae
> 
> Alec felt like vomiting on the spot.
> 
> This…
> 
> This was just wrong.
> 
> He had to fix this. Now.
> 
> He shot off a text to Lydia, asking her if she could meet somewhere tonight—
> 
> And within seconds, he had a yes from her, followed by an influx of glowing heart emojis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come hang out with me on [Tumblr](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OctoberDecemb12)! ♥♥♥

“Dinner is ready to be _served_.” Magnus was stark naked as he stepped out of his bathroom with a seductive stroll. “And ready to be _eaten_.”

He rhythmically rocked his hips back and forth a few times, while he made his way over to Alec, who was still seated on Magnus’ bed.

It wasn’t until Magnus was close enough to see the stoic expression on Alec’s face that he stopped his music-less dancing. “Wait. What’s wrong? Alec, what happened—”

Alec wordlessly bent towards Magnus’ phone on the floor, before silently sliding it into Magnus’ hand.

“Oh. Fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck no. Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Magnus grimaced as he scrolled through the _bazillion_ Stele notifications, his mouth falling open in surprise. “What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?”

“Just edit your relationship settings. The update will go away if you change your Stele back to single.” Alec shrugged, as he pulled Magnus down onto the bed. “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you. I know this isn’t your fault—”

“Okay, I have _several_ thoughts about everything you just said.” Magnus held up a warning finger, thoroughly interrupting Alec’s words. “Number one, I’m _not_ single. If I was going to change my relationship settings, I’d still say I was seeing someone because I’m seeing _you_. Number two, what the fuck? Why would you ever be _mad at me_? Because number three, this is _all your fault_.”

“My fault?”

“Yes, _your fault_.” Magnus huffed, as his phone kept going off with notification after notification. “Your BFF, Lydia Branwell, is the reason Ragnor’s car got towed. She called the towing company on him, just to fuck with him, but really just to fuck with me. And that’s when I decided that she’s an evil dragon that must be defeated.”

“Lydia’s not an evil dragon. Magnus, we’ve talked about this—”

“She’s an evil dragon to _me_ , Alec! And just because she was nice, once upon a time, doesn’t change who she is right now, okay? And evil dragons don’t deserve to be Prom Queen. They deserve to be locked away in dungeons.” Magnus emphatically pointed to his own chest, as he kept his eyes focused on Alec. “Which is why I’m gonna’ be a Dungeon Master.”

“I don’t think that means what you think it means.” Alec lightly smirked, while pulling Magnus even closer to his side. “But I think I get what you’re saying. I’ll talk to her about the Ragnor thing, alright? She won’t do anything like that ever again.”

“Whatever.” Magnus shrugged, settling into Alec’s side. “Good luck taming a fire-breathing beast from Hades.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Alec pressed a soft kiss into Magnus' temple. “I’ll tame the beast, and you’ll drop out of the prom race. No need to pretend you and Underhill are a real thing just to shit on Lydia’s day.”

“Oh, I’m not trying to shit on Lydia’s day.” Magnus chuckled, and it echoed through his chest. “I’m trying to shit on Lydia’s _life_. She has it coming. She’s said so much shit to me, to Catarina…I’m over it.”

“Magnus—”

“I’ll drop out of the prom race when she does…or when _you_ do.” Magnus turned to face Alec, giving him a bright smile. “Whatever slays the Lydia Dragon.”

“Are you seriously trying to make me choose between Lydia or you?”

“Is there _seriously even a choice_?” Magnus shook his head in disbelief. “Alec, I know she helped you a lot when you first got here, but you can’t be for real right now. You love me, right?”

“Yes.” Alec bent to kiss Magnus’ still bare shoulder. “You know I do.”

“Okay. Then drop out of the race.”

“I can’t. I can’t do that to her _again_. I can’t…break her heart.” Alec averted his gaze from Magnus, as he continued on with his thoughts. “You weren’t there, Magnus. You didn’t see how I hurt her…how I broke her…”

“Alec, you didn’t do anything wrong. You were just—” Magnus’ phrase was cut off by his phone ringing in his hand. It was a video call from Stele, and Magnus instinctively answered the call. He angled his phone’s camera just enough to see his face and nothing else—

Not even Alec seated beside him.

“Whoah.” Underhill’s voice was lined with awe, as his eyes appreciatively scanned up and down Magnus’ face. “Magnus…”

“What? What is it?” Magnus’ finger hovered over the End Call button, already annoyed at Underhill for existing.

“Sorry. You just look so beautiful...” A wide grin soon spread across Underhill’s expression. “You should really stop wearing all that makeup. You don't need it at all.”

Magnus rolled his eyes, his frustration gradually increasing with every passing second. “Why’d you update our relationship on Stele? You didn’t have to do that. People already think we’re together.”

“Gotta’ take the advantage anywhere we can get it. Alec and Lydia aren’t Stele official, plus, they’re off and on. You should check the comments on the update. One girl’s claiming we’ve been together since freshman year, but just wanted to keep it to ourselves.”

Underhill beamed back at Magnus. “There’s a whole thread about us being the secret OTP of the century. Someone’s literally going back through our social media accounts and piecing together clues about our dating timeline—”

Underhill then pulled his laptop into his phone camera’s frame, as his eyes read over a comment.

“December 8th, three years ago, Magnus posted these lyrics: _I tell you all the time, heaven is a place on earth with you_. And then he posted a photo of him and Catarina at some lake? Does anyone know how long Catarina’s been with Ragnor? Was this a double date with Underhill, too?”

Underhill took a moment to scroll down on his laptop screen, before reading another comment from the thread. “Oh my fucking God! On December 9th, Magnus captioned another lake photo with: _it’s better than I ever even knew, they say that the world was built for two_. Holy shit, that’s so fucking cute! #BaneHill is relationship goals!”

Magnus’ stomach turned at Underhill’s words. Magnus had been happily dating Camille back then, and he thought that he’d successfully purged all traces of their ill-fated romance from his Stele account...

But apparently, he'd missed a few spots. 

“Whatever. Just. Whatever.” Magnus blew out a heavy sigh. “I’ll talk to you later, Underhill—”

“Yeah, tonight. When I take you out.”

“ _What_?”

“I’m taking you out for a _very public_ , _very photo op-ish_ 'date'. We’re gonna’ go to that Movies Under The Stars thing at the park. I’ll pick you up at 8.”

“Wait, I don’t think—”

“Talk to you later, _baby_.” Underhill emphasized the pet name, as his eyes dragged over Magnus again. “You really are beautiful, you know.”

Underhill ended the video call, and Magnus sat there in complete shock—

Until Alec’s wounded chuckle brought Magnus back to reality. “Another guy’s taking my boyfriend out on a date. _Nice_.”

“It’s not a date, because it’s not _anything_.” Magnus groaned, as he covered his face with his palms. “Just drop out of the race. Please. _Please_ don’t make me spend the night with Underhill.”

Alec pulled Magnus into his arms, cradling Magnus’ head underneath his chin. “You should do whatever you wanna’ do. I know things are just…stupidly complicated…but I’m not dropping out of the race. I’m sorry.”

Alec then lowered his head just enough to press a soft kiss to Magnus’ lips. “I’m hoping you win, though. You’re gonna’ look so fucking cute in that crown.”

“Shut up. I hate you.” Magnus whined, before nuzzling his face into Alec’s skin. “Never mind. Keep talking. I love you.”

“Hey, Magnus, are you still serving _dinner_?”

“I don’t know. You should call the restaurant and find out.”

“Okay. What’s the restaurant’s number?”

“1-800-E-A-T-M-E-O-U-T.”

“Nah. That can’t be right. That’s too many numbers—”

“You know what? I was right the first time. I _hate you_.” Magnus snorted with a laugh…

Before Alec gently turned him over onto his side.

_************************_

Magnus had chosen to walk down to the park, not wanting to spend even one, unnecessary minute around Underhill. 

Just the thought of hanging out in Underhill's car...

Ugh.

It nearly made Magnus' skin start to crawl.

Magnus eventually arrived to the event, smiling up at a seemingly nice lady who was handing out comfy blankets. He held his arms out for a blanket—

But she quickly snatched the nearest blanket away from him. “Sorry. These are for VIP watchers only.”

“But it’s…it’s freezing out here…without a blanket I’ll _die_.” Magnus gave the woman an incredulous look, but she simply shrugged in response.

“You’ll be fine. Besides, I heard people get really warm before they freeze to death, so, you can be warm then.” She moved to walk away from Magnus, entirely, taking all of her blankets with her. “Enjoy the movie!”

Magnus opened his mouth to say something—

But he lost his train of thought when he felt someone wrapping a blanket across his shoulders.

He then felt a pair of strong arms wrapping around his waist, and pulling him back towards their chest.

_Underhill._

Magnus stilled at the contact, not sure what to make of the kind gesture. “Um…hi.”

“Hey.” Underhill’s tone was friendly and warm, as he tightened his grip on Magnus’ middle. “You looked cold.”

“I _was_ cold, which is why I was trying to get a blanket…but the blanket lady just told me to _freeze to death_ instead.” Magnus frowned, shifting the blanket downwards. “Funny. She has all those blankets and she’s still the _coldest person here_.”

Underhill laughed, as he turned Magnus around in his arms. “Her name’s Cynthia. She’s pretty nice, actually. She’s been here for a few years now.”

“You come to these things often?”

“Yeah, my dad and I used to watch movies here all the time.”

“ _Used to_? Did he stop coming? Did Cynthia kill him by not giving him a blanket?”

Underhill’s laugh came slower this time, as he kept his eyes away from Magnus. “My dad…he uh…he died. Back when I was a kid.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Magnus winced, now feeling awful about his attempt at a joke. “Um…if it makes you feel any better…my mom died, when I was a kid, too.”

“It sucks, right?” Underhill’s question came out under his breath.

“Yeah…it sucks.” Magnus nodded in agreement, before grinning up at Underhill. “Although, I think my old therapist would say you’re _minimizing your trauma_.”

“I’m not _minimizing_. I’m _avoiding_.” Underhill tilted his head towards the center of the park, currently filled with couples cuddling under over-sized blankets. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Magnus led the way, finding a comfortable spot in the middle of the grass. He took his arms away from the blanket, wanting to lay it down on the grass below them—

But Underhill wrapped the blanket even further around Magnus, before he bent to take a seat. “You’re cold. I’m not. Keep the blanket.”

“Thanks?” Magnus plopped down beside Underhill, while he watched the empty projector screen in front of them. “What are we even watching tonight?”

“Some horror movie.”

“Of course. Of course, we’re watching a horror movie _at night_.” Magnus groaned, before firmly closing his eyes. “Just let me know when it’s over.”

“Dude, are you wearing makeup?” It was a stranger’s voice speaking down at Magnus.

Magnus’ eyes soon flew back open. He took a few seconds to look over the stranger, noting that it was a fairly athletic guy, maybe in his early 20s. “And? What’s it to you?”

“That’s not right, man.” The stranger turned towards Underhill, momentarily shuffling on his feet. “You should tell your _buddy_ that makeup’s for girls.”

Underhill moved to whisper to Magnus, keeping his voice at a whisper. “I’m sorry about this…”

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault this guy’s an—”

Before Magnus could finish his sentence, Underhill was already on his feet—

And he’d already knocked the stranger out cold, seemingly with just one punch.

Magnus’ eyes went wide, as Underhill calmly sat back down beside him. “Um…what the _fuck_? What the fuck was _that_?”

“I think I fucked up my hand…” Underhill pouted, while thoroughly flexing his fingers. “Might need to ice it after the movie.”

“Oh, so we’re just not gonna’ talk about this?” Magnus pointed to the stranger’s unconscious body, still lying on the grass. “Is he...is he gonna’ be okay? Or?”

“He’ll be fine. He’ll wake up in a few minutes.” Underhill’s focus was still on his aching hand. “And maybe, when he wakes up, he’ll have learned something important. Talk shit. Get hit.”

“Underhill—”

“Shh. The movie’s about to start.” Underhill gave Magnus a slight smile, before he turned back towards the projector.

Magnus quietly mouthed the words _I’m sorry_ to the unconscious stranger on the grass—

Before he turned towards the projector, too, watching the beginnings of the horror flick behind the safety of the blanket, which was now raised over his eyes.

******************************************

Alec sat at his living room table, scrolling through Stele update after Stele update…

Waiting for something, _anything_ to pop up on Underhill's account.

He trusted Magnus. He _loved_ Magnus…

So, why dd he feel so fucking nervous?

“Oh, you children and your phones!” Maryse came into the kitchen with a grin, as she plucked Alec’s phone out of his hands. “Do you mind giving your mother a few minutes of your time? I need your opinion on something.”

“Yeah, sure, mom. Whatever you need.” Alec was grateful for the distraction, happy to soothe the anxious beating of his heart.

“When you think 16th century pottery exhibit…do you think salmon or steak?”

“What kind of pottery? _Faenza_? _Istoriato_? _Compendiario_?”

“Really, Alec? Will the _style_ of pottery affect your digestive capabilities?”  Maryse let out a breezy laugh, before leaning against the table. “Your father asked me the exact same question, too. You Lightwood men are too cultured for your own good.”

“It’s just good to know every possible detail. Situational awareness is—”

“The key to winning a fight, yes, but not relevant for feeding hundreds of art snobs.” Maryse softly folded her arms, keeping her attention on Alec. “So? Which is it, then? Salmon? Steak?”

“I would say salmon—”

Alec’s phone went off in Maryse’s hand. She nonchalantly glanced down at the screen—

And soon, a dazzling smile was planted on her face. “Oh, Alec…”

“What? What is it?” Alec stood away from the table, moving towards his mother. “What’s going on?”

“You did the right thing by letting him go, my love. Look how happy he is now.” Maryse handed the phone back to Alec, as she then gave him a gentle pat on his shoulder. “I’ve never been prouder of you, my little soldier.”

Maryse offered Alec a final smile, before she headed out of the living room…

And Alec now looked down at the picture on his screen.

Magnus was leaning on Underhill’s shoulder, with Magnus all wrapped up in a colorful blanket. They were both smirking at the camera, and it looked like they were outside, somewhere…

The caption underneath the photo read: _movie nights with my blanket burrito bae_

Alec felt like vomiting on the spot.

This…

This was just _wrong_.

He had to fix this. _Now._

He shot off a text to Lydia, asking her if she could meet somewhere tonight—

And within seconds, he had a _yes_ from her, followed by an influx of glowing heart emojis.

**************************

Alec and Lydia were standing underneath the archery field bleachers, with Lydia now bundled up in Alec’s coat.

He’d offered it to her because she looked like she was freezing. He also wanted to give her some, small source of comfort, especially with what he was about to tell her…

“I have to drop out of the prom race.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I thought I could handle it…but…seeing Magnus and Underhill together like that…” Alec groaned, as he thought back on that awful Stele update. “Sorry. It’s fucking with my head too much.”

“No.”

“Lydia, I can’t—”

“Alec! Just!” Lydia threw up her hands in frustration, before she shakily brought them back to her temple. “Can you just…be…who I want you to be…? For the first time in your life?”

“I’m sorry, okay? But Magnus asked me to drop out, and honestly I should’ve listened—”

“So, what? Magnus asked you to do something. You’ve only known him for five minutes! It’s not like you love him or something.”

There was suddenly silence in the air between them, as Alec gave Lydia a hardened stare…

And once the truth finally dawned on her, she couldn’t help but stutter and stammer. “Alec…I….you…love him?”

“Lydia…”

“Okay.” Lydia’s tone was lined with hurt, as she looked up at Alec. “Okay. Alec. We can drop out of the race. We can do whatever you want.”

“That’s not…this isn’t…”

Alec’s gaze caught onto Lydia’s own, and he could see the tears threatening to roll down her waiting cheeks…

“Please…Lydia, please don’t say you still—”

“What? That I still _love you_?” Lydia scoffed, while wiping a tear away from her skin. “You don’t want me to say that I’m a total fucking idiot who fell in love with you the first day she met you?”

Lydia took a step closer to Alec, her tear-stained cheeks now in full view. “I’m not embarrassed about how I feel about you, Alec Lightwood. I’m not the one who did anything wrong. So, yeah, I fell in love with you but _you let me fall_. You let me hold you. You let me kiss you. You let me tell you things that I’ve never told anyone in my entire life. How could I not have fallen for you? What else was I supposed to do?”

“There has to be something else, okay? Besides this prom shit. There has to be something else I could do for you. Just…not this. Please.”

Lydia let out a low laugh, quickly followed by a quiet sniffle. “ _This_ is all there is for me, Lightwood. A shitty photo-op with shitty plastic crowns. And I know it’s stupid. I know it doesn’t mean anything to anyone after Prom Night…but it means _everything_ to me. It means I managed to get through high school in one fucking piece. It means I’m still…okay. Even after all this pointless bullshit. Even after _you_.”

“Lydia—”

“Just. Do whatever you wanna’ do, Alec. You always do what you want, anyway. No matter who gets hurt.” Lydia shrugged, before taking off Alec’s jacket, and purposely letting it fall to the ground.

She didn’t speak another word to him, as she left him there, standing all alone in the cold…

Alec’s phone soon went off in his hand, and he hastily went to answer the call. “Hello?”

“Alecccccc. Can you come get us? We’re stranded at that waffle place near the mall.”

Alec warmed at the sound of Magnus’ voice—

But his face soon scrunched up in confusion, as he thought over Magnus’ phrase. “ _Us_? Who’s with you?”

“It’s just me and Underhill. His car died, because he forgot to put gas in it—”

“I didn’t _forget_ to put gas in it! It was on my To-Do list!”

“Yeah, it was on your To-Do list and it didn’t get _To-Done_!”

Underhill and Magnus shared in a boisterous, seemingly synchronized laugh—

And Alec cringed at the sound, sickened by the idea of their laughter so easily swirling together. “Sure. Yeah. I’ll be right there, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Okay, I love you—” Alec’s words came out a little too late, as Magnus had already ended the phone call.

Alec tiredly sighed down at his jacket, splayed across the grass…

The jacket happened to look a lot like Alec currently felt. Fabric all stretched in different directions, unsure of which way it was even supposed to land…

He then sighed yet again, before he forcefully scooped up his jacket, and somberly headed for his car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> —[please click here to #SaveShadowhunters](https://www.saveshadowhunters.com/social-media)
> 
> —Sad Parallels: Magnus readily accepting Underhill's blanket AKA accepting possible friendship/warmth vs. Lydia who throws off Alec's jacket when she reverts to being a cold person 
> 
> —Alec "I Keep Trying To Do The Right Thing But It's Always Too Late" Lightwood strikes again! 
> 
> —[It's better than I ever even knew, they say that the world was built for two...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6wxDqdOV0)


	20. #TooTallToBeGay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Underhill continued to scream at each other, their voices and their threats only escalating with each passing second…
> 
> And that’s when Magnus had a startling realization…
> 
> This was stupid.
> 
> This was all so, so stupid.
> 
> How long had Magnus been a part of this stupidity?
> 
> Probably ever since he came across Alec in that goddamn closet.
> 
> God.
> 
> Life before Alec had been so beautifully simple compared to this hellscape of an existence.
> 
> Is this what it was like for all the popular kids? Just chaos and despair and more chaos and more despair?
> 
> Magnus shivered at the thought.
> 
> As he quietly watched Alec unbuckle his seat-belt, yelling something at Underhill about punching his heart straight through his chest—
> 
> Magnus felt a familiar urge, one he hadn’t felt in a few weeks.
> 
> He could feel it building in his feet, as he wordlessly rolled down his car window—
> 
> And before Alec and Underhill had even noticed that Magnus had thrown his phone against the street below them, hard enough to smash its screen into pieces—
> 
> Magnus was gone, flying down the street as fast as his legs could carry him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come hang out with me on [Tumblr](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OctoberDecemb12)! ♥♥♥

“Hey, what do you think Magnus is up to?”

“Ragnor, that is such a _weird question_ to ask me when I just took my bra off.” Catarina grimaced over at her boyfriend, as she still held her bra’s fabric in her hands. “Are you sure you really wanna’ talk about Magnus right now?”

“I mean, you don’t really think he…uh…exchanged an _oral favor_ just to get the $800 for my truck, right?” Ragnor clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I feel like I shouldn’t have even suggested it. Magnus is probably blowing him right now, oh my God—”

“Yep. That’s exactly what I want to think about. Magnus giving his boyfriend a blowjob.” Catarina moved to straddle Ragnor’s lap, purposely peering down into his eyes. “You’re killing the mood, babe. You’re just, like, stabbing it right in the fucking chest.”

“Sorry. You know how much I love doing…this.” Ragnor firmly placed his grip on Catarina’s bare waist. “He just makes me worry, you know?”

“You don’t have to worry about Magnus Bane. Yes, he can be a bit of a mess, and he’s a bit…uh…”

“Random?”

“Random, yeah. That’s a nice way to put it.” Catarina beamed down at Ragnor. “But the boy has always been like a freakin’ cat. He always lands on his feet, no matter what. And if he needed help, with literally anything, he would’ve already told us by now.”

“Yeah, you’re right. He’s never been afraid to ask for help.” Ragnor nodded in agreement with Catarina’s words. “You’re right, baby. Sorry for killing the mood. Magnus is gonna’ be fine.”

“Magnus is gonna’ be fine.” Catarina repeated the phrase, while slowly lowering her bra away from her skin. 

“Magnus? Who the fuck is Magnus?” Ragnor’s questions were playful, as he pulled Catarina over his chest. “I totally forgot who we were talking about.”

Catarina giggled right into Ragnor’s ear, before running her fingers up his shirt—

And then there was a violent knock at Ragnor’s front door.

“Ignore it, baby. It’s probably just my neighbor trying to return our lawn mower or something. He gets off work late.” Ragnor held Catarina even closer, his mouth trailing kisses up her neck—

Until the violent knock was replaced by loud, thumping footsteps—

And Magnus soon appeared in the middle of Ragnor’s bedroom. “What the fuck? I don’t wanna’ see this! Stop it! Get off each other right now!”

“How did you even—” Ragnor was dumbfounded, as he slipped Catarina under his bed-sheets, immediately covering up her frame. “The door was locked—”

“Oh, please. Picking locks is Asmodeus 101.” Magnus rolled his eyes, before taking a step closer to his friends on the bed. “I can also forge an ID. And steal a car. And fake my own death. And don’t get me started on what I can do with box-sized individuals.”

“Magnus, what’s going on?! Why are you _here_?” Catarina’s voice came out with a whine. “And why didn’t you call first? This is so awkward.”

“I threw my phone out of the car window.”

“ _What_?”

“I threw my phone out of the car window, before I ran over here.”

“I’m…still not really understanding you.”

“Catarina, what’s there _not_ to get? I threw my phone out of the car window and I took off in the opposite direction of the car so it was harder for them to catch me.”

“Okay, I think we’re confused because of the whole car thing. What car?” Ragnor chimed into the conversation, his thumb lightly rubbing into Catarina’s thigh. “You were in somebody’s car?”

“Oh my God. Wait. _Catch you_? Magnus, were you running from _the cops_?” Catarina’s mouth fell open in shock and horror. “Are you a wanted man? Fuck, do we need to hide you in the closet—”

“I told you I was never going back in the closet! And I’m not going to start now!” Magnus deeply sighed, before he plopped down exactly in the middle of Ragnor’s bed. “Okay. Story-time. So, we were all riding in Alec’s car, me, Alec and Underhill—”

“Wait. Let me get comfortable.” Catarina shifted towards Magnus, now leaning against his shoulder. “Okay. Go.”

“Why was Underhill there?” Ragnor copied Catarina’s position, leaning his head on Magnus’ other shoulder, too. “Also, is this one of your stories that takes a billion years to tell? Do I need to go make popcorn?”

“Ooh! Popcorn sounds so good right now, baby—”

“Let me tell my story! Let me tell my story!” Magnus’ tone was lined with frustration. “Okay, so, it was a dark and stormy night…Okay, no, it was actually a super clear night outside, and it was like, I dunno, forty-five minutes ago?”

“Yep. I’m gonna’ go make popcorn.”

***************************************************

_Magnus sat in the passenger seat of Alec’s car, as Alec silently drove through the night._

_Underhill was seated in the backseat, scrolling through his phone screen, and the brightness setting on his phone made his face sorta’ look like he had a flashlight glowing under his skin._

_Magnus thought that was a little funny, and let out a laugh under his breath._

_This proved to be Magnus’ first mistake of the evening._

_“What’s so funny?” Alec’s tone was cold and biting, his eyes narrowing on the road. “Thinking about one of your little jokes from the waffle place?”_

_“What? No. It’s just…Underhill…” Magnus lightly sighed, as he leaned towards the dashboard. “Hey, did you know that Underhill can knock a guy out with just one punch? There was this guy at the movie thing—”_

“ _You know he tried to fight me, right? In the locker room?” Alec’s response cut into Magnus’ thoughts. “But I guess it’s cool to know that he could’ve knocked me out with one punch, yeah.”_

_“You tried to fight my boyfriend? Underhill, what the fuck?” Magnus turned back towards Underhill—_

_But Underhill only offered a shrug in return. “You two were broken up at the time. Besides, Lightwood had it coming.”_

_“Had it coming?”_

_“Yeah, Magnus. I know you might think your boyfriend over here is an angel, but you should know that he fucked his way to the top of the social ladder.”_

_“What the fuck are you talking about, Underhill?” Alec’s words were tense, and the car seemed to be slowing down. “What the fuck are you saying right now?”_

_“What, you think everybody doesn’t know? New kid comes to our school, latches onto the pretty, sad girl and suddenly he’s king of everything? You’re a parasite, Lightwood. A user.”_

_“Underhill, you don’t know what you’re taking about—” Magnus’ words came to a pause, just as Alec’s car suddenly came to a full stop._

_“Alec? Alec?” Magnus unbuckled his seatbelt, as he reached for his boyfriend’s hand. “Hey, is everything okay?”_

_“Get out.” Alec turned back towards Underhill. “Get the fuck out of my car.”_

_“Alec. Stop.” Magnus tightly squeezed Alec’s palm. “Come on. It’s the middle of the night. What’s he supposed to do? Walk home?”_

_“I don’t care! I don’t care!” Alec yanked his hand away from Magnus, as he forcefully hit the steering wheel. “I’m so done with his shit!”_

_“Fuck you, Lightwood, I’m not going anywhere!”_

_“If you don’t get the fuck out of my car right the fuck now—"_

_Alec and Underhill continued to scream at each other, their voices and their threats only escalating with each passing second…_

_And that’s when Magnus had a startling realization…_

_This was stupid._

_This was all so, so stupid._

_How long had Magnus been a part of this stupidity?_

_Probably ever since he came across Alec in that goddamn closet._

_God._

_Life before Alec had been so beautifully simple compared to this hellscape of an existence._

_Is this what it was like for all the popular kids? Just chaos and despair and more chaos and more despair?_

_Magnus shivered at the thought._

_As he quietly watched Alec unbuckle his seat-belt, yelling something at Underhill about punching his heart straight through his chest—_

_Magnus felt a familiar urge, one he hadn’t felt in a few weeks._

_He could feel it building in his feet, as he wordlessly rolled down his car window—_

_And before Alec and Underhill had even noticed that Magnus had thrown his phone against the street below them, hard enough to smash its screen into pieces—_

_Magnus was gone, flying down the street as fast as his legs could carry him._

_****************************************************_

“Magnus, what the hell? You ran here in the middle of the night?” Catarina roughly punched Magnus in the shoulder. “You could’ve been hurt!”

“I don’t wanna’ be the one to say it, but I’m gonna’ be the one to say it…” Ragnor stuffed another fistful of popcorn into his mouth. “This is what you get for talking to a guy you met jerking off in the supply closet.”

“Oh! Sure! Blame the victim!” Magnus scoffed, before reaching down for a handful of popcorn, as well. “And you’re telling me if you didn’t meet Catarina jerking off in a supply closet, you wouldn’t have tried to date her?”

“How do you know I _didn’t_ meet Catarina jerking off in a supply closet?”

“Ragnor! Gross!” Magnus finally bit into his popcorn, as he nudged Catarina in her side. “Phone. Gimme your phone.”

Catarina handed her phone over to Magnus, who quickly scrolled to Stele. “I need to change my relationship status. This whole prom thing is _canceled_.”

“Agreed. This was supposed to be our fun year! We’re not supposed to be all stressed out and—”

“WHAT THE FUCK?” Magnus interrupted Catarina’s words, as his eyes went wide with surprise. “What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?”

Magnus tilted Catarina’s screen towards her—

And she could now clearly see Magnus’ current relationship status:

_Magnus Bane Is Now In A Relationship with Alec Lightwood_

“Holy shit! Did Alec do this? He knows everybody can see this, doesn’t he?” Catarina gently pulled her phone back into her hands. “Oh my God. This is like…it. This is like…everything.”

Ragnor made a disapproving noise, as he folded his arms against his chest. “Do we maybe want to discuss why an online acknowledgement of a relationship seemingly outweighs the very real time you two spent in person together—”

“Ragnor! Not now!” Catarina held up a finger, effectively shushing her boyfriend. “Magnus, you have to call him! Here! Try to call him on Stele!”

“Okay, okay!” Magnus took back Catarina’s phone, his fingers shakily scrolling to Alec’s profile. “Shit. Okay. Okay.”

Catarina and Ragnor both leaned towards Magnus, their eyes fully focused on the phone screen in front of them…

As the phone just rang…

And rang…

And rang…

Without an answer coming from the other end.

**************************************************

“Alec! There you are!” Maryse’s arms were already tightly wrapped around her son. “I was so afraid. You know you can’t just leave like that, not in the middle of the night—”

“Mom. Please. I’m tired.” Alec pulled away from his mother’s embrace, his hands rubbing his tired eyes. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I just had to give Magnus a ride—”

“ _Magnus_?” Maryse’s face fell, as she shot Alec a disappointed look. “Alec, are you _serious_? You can’t go around giving boys like Magnus a late ride home. People will start to talk. People will start to think that you’re—”

“I love you, mom.”

“I love you, too, Alec, but—”

“I love you. And I’m tired. And I’m gay. And I’m going to bed.”

“ _Alec_. Don’t. Don’t say things like that. You don’t know what you’re saying—”

“I’m in love with Magnus, mom. And no, I’m not going to apologize for how I feel. I’m just…done…doing that.” Alec shrugged, as he stared Maryse in the eye. “And even if it’s not Magnus, even if it’s someone else in the future…it’ll always be with…a guy. Because that’s who I am. That’s who I’ve always been. And I’m sorry for letting you ever think you could make me change my mind on that.”

“So, is this what Magnus has taught you? How to break your mother’s heart like it’s nothing?” Maryse lightly sniffled, turning her face away from Alec to hide her saddened expression. “You couldn’t just _pretend_? You couldn’t give me this one, little thing?”

“Mom—”

“All of you, every single, last one of you…selfish…down to your very bones. Your father included.” Maryse let out a wounded laugh. “And all of this is for what? A boy who wouldn’t speak to you again if I offered him $100,000? I could write him a check tomorrow and he’d be out of your life for good.”

“Magnus isn’t like that. If you’d just give him a chance—”

“No, thank you. I’ve had my share of giving people _chances_. And look where it’s gotten me now.” Maryse’s tone was stoic, her initial warmth with Alec now entirely disappeared from her demeanor. “I’ll speak to you in the morning, my son. Maybe when your head is clear, you’ll…maybe you’ll…”

Maryse found herself thoroughly unable to finish her sentence—

Instead, she chose to hastily walk away from Alec, her back turned to her son with a frightening finality.

******************************************************

This had been one of the worst days of Alec’s entire life.

His mother was probably writing him out of her will, even as he lied awake in bed.

Underhill had keyed the backseat of Alec’s car, leaving expensive scratches all over the leather interior.

And Magnus Bane was Only-God-Knows-Where.

The last thought made Alec’s heart ache in his chest…

Of course, he’d hoped that Magnus was somewhere safe, maybe somewhere with his friends, maybe even somewhere with his dad—

But he couldn’t know for sure, courtesy of Magnus smashing his own phone to smithereens.

And maybe Magnus didn’t want Alec to _know_ where he was.

Maybe Magnus had finally had enough of everything Alec brought to the table.

Being in the closet. Being popular. Being in a strained friendship with Lydia and an eternal pissing match with Underhill…

Alec reached for his phone on his bedside dresser, and began hopelessly scrolling through Stele, desperately waiting for a sign of life from Magnus, maybe a picture or two of him and Catarina—

And that’s when Alec saw it _again_.

The relationship status update with Magnus and Underhill.

_Holy shit._

It was nearly up to 500 likes right now.

And Alec, half asleep and only half thinking, had decided that he’d had _enough for one day._

He navigated to his account settings, checked a few boxes, clicked a few “are you sure” screens, went back to make sure he’d selected the _right_ Magnus’ username—

And there it was.

A shiny, new relationship update.

_Alec Lightwood Is Now In A Relationship With Magnus Bane_

Alec had only managed to stay awake long enough to read the very first reply…

**Raj_The_Ghost** : _hahaha wtf this is so funny, bro! Did you let Underhill hack your account or something? Are y’all friends now? #TooTallToBeGay_

Alec was instantly confused by Raj’s hashtag—

But instead of responding, Alec chose to let that immediate confusion melt right into his general tiredness from the day’s utter nonsense—

And eventually both those things pulled him into a very deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> —[please click here to #SaveShadowhunters](https://www.saveshadowhunters.com/social-media)
> 
> —tbh if you say Magnus' name three times he just appears??? RAGNOR AND CATARINA SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER
> 
> —AND CAN Y'ALL BELIEVE IT TOOK 50,000+ WORDS FOR ALEC TO COME OUT OF THE GODDAMN CLOSET WHOOOO FUCK DAMN BUT WE FINALLY GOT HERE THANK RAZIEL
> 
> —also fun fact: I originally had Asmodeus saying the line about "this is what you get for dating a guy you met jerking off in the closet" but since Magnus didn't go home (originally he did go home! and Asmodeus gave him a humorous lecture about love being the _worst_ con) Asmodeus didn't get a chance to say the line (do y'all care about stuff like this? Probably not, but it's in my original outline so I'm just letting y'all know!)


	21. A Break In The Rain (Commissioned Art Reveal)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~it's a surprise~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come hang out with me on [Tumblr](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OctoberDecemb12)! ♥♥♥
> 
> so I commissioned this piece by [eERIeCrafts on Tumblr](http://eeriecrafts.tumblr.com/post/176849592614/alec-x-magnus-prom-au-softshade-commission-for#post-notes) to celebrate this fic reaching 15K views (which is absolutely crazy btw omg) but as some of y'all already know today the Shadowfam received _awful_ news and I am truly not in the mood to discuss it further, but I figured I'd show y'all this art, regardless.
> 
> "wait is this a spoiler is this how the fic ENDS" N O this isn't even a possible ending L O L I JUST WANTED TO BE CUTE AND SURPRISE Y'ALL BUT THE TIMING IS AWFUL I AM SO SORRY
> 
> okay I'm gonna' go disappear again I hope y'all like the piece ♥ I'll be updating this fic when I've officially processed everything
> 
> [The Bad News For Those Curious](https://twitter.com/mmoszkowicz/status/1027937844944363526)
> 
> okay bye for now ♥♥♥


	22. I'M A VIRGIN

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Magnus.” Alec was a few feet away from Magnus in the cafeteria line—
> 
> But Magnus wasn’t responding to his own name.
> 
> “Magnus.” Alec tried again, as he craned his neck to try to get a better view of his boyfriend—
> 
> Well, maybe-boyfriend—
> 
> If Magnus still wanted anything to do with him.
> 
> “Magnus!” This time, Alec shouted Magnus’ name, his eyes now laser-focused on where Magnus stood in line.
> 
> There was still no response...
> 
> And Alec felt his heart sink into his stomach.
> 
> Was Magnus really done with him?
> 
> Was he really just going to ignore him like this?
> 
> How long could Magnus keep this up?
> 
> Before Alec had even realized it, he was already moving through the line, casually cutting ahead of other students...
> 
> Until he came face to face with Magnus Bane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come hang out with me on [Tumblr](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OctoberDecemb12)! ♥♥♥

“I’m so proud of you.” Izzy was beaming over at Alec from across the breakfast table.

“Proud of me for what?” Alec was barely awake, after being unable to properly sleep through the night. He’d been struggling to open a protein bar for the last several minutes, his tired and clumsy fingers fumbling with the packaging...

And Izzy eventually plucked the bar out of Alec’s hands, easily opening it within seconds. “I saw your Stele update.”

“My Stele update—” Alec went completely still, the memory suddenly flooding back through him. “Oh God. Fuck. Oh my God. What the fuck did I do? What the fuck did I just do?”

“Breathe, big bro.” Izzy calmly placed the protein bar back in Alec’s palm. “No, seriously. Take a deep breath or something. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“I _am_ about to pass out. Holy shit. Fuck...Fuck!” Alec’s hands shakily moved to his sides. “I can’t believe I did that. Why the fuck did I do _that_? I mean, why’d I do it like _that_? Everyone’s just going to think it’s a stupid joke or something—”

“Hey.” Izzy got up from her seat, as she moved to stand directly in front of Alec. “Can I be honest with you for a second?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“This is _your_ life, Alec. It’s _yours_. No one else’s.” Izzy said the words with a definitive tone.

Alec shook his head in immediate confusion. “Izzy, _what_? I know it’s _my_ life. What’s that supposed to mean—”

“No. I don’t think you do _know_. I think you’ve just been running around, ever since we moved here, ever since our daddy dearest started his little affair...” Izzy took in a deep breath, before she finished with her thoughts. “And I think you’ve lost yourself in all of this, Alec. Maybe it was just easier, living for other people, living for mom, living for your archery team, living for me and Max...but you don’t have to do that anymore. You never should’ve been doing it in the first place. You need to think about _your_ life and what makes _you_ happy—”

A smile spread across Izzy’s face as she looked up at her brother. “You need to think about _who_ makes you happy, too. Even if that means making other people uncomfortable.”

“I...” Alec stumbled over his response, before he soon returned his sister’s joyful expression. “Thank you, Izzy. I don’t know what else to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything else.” Izzy shrugged, as she pulled Alec in for a tight embrace. “Just know that I totally love you and totally support you, no matter what. I’m #TeamAlec all the fucking way.”

“Good. That’s good to know.” Alec slightly chuckled, his arms wrapping around his sister. “Because mom is definitely going to write me out of her will. She might lose my invitation in the mail for Christmas dinners, too.”

“No way. Mom’s gonna’ come around to it...eventually. Give her a few years? Maybe?”

“Maybe by the time I’m 40?”

“Yeah, maybe by the time you’re 40.” Isabelle began to loudly laugh, patting Alec on the back for emphasis. “You just have to be patient.”

“Well, I waited 18 years to come out. I guess I can wait another 22 years for her to stop being mad about it.” Alec smirked, before moving away from Izzy’s hug. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go face the awful, awful music.”

“Have fun at school! Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do!”

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t plan on skipping half my classes to go shopping at Prada.” Alec grinned back at Izzy—

And she lovingly flipped him the bird.

***********************************

Alec rested his head against the steering wheel of his Bentley.

He was parked right outside of the school, only a few feet away from the entrance to Alicante High—

But he couldn’t will his legs to take the necessary steps.

He just...

He didn’t want things to be _different_. He didn’t want anyone to look at him _differently_. He didn’t want his friends to treat him any _differently_. He didn’t want to walk into his first class of the day and feel all eyes on him for a _different_ reason, not because he was Alec Lightwood, the popular jock, but because he was now Alec Lightwood, _the gay kid_ —

Alec’s thoughts were interrupted by spotting Magnus doing a twirl outside the school’s main hall. Magnus was obviously showing off his outfit, wearing a stylish, knee-length vest with a mesh tank top underneath. Catarina was excitedly clapping her hands, as Magnus did yet another spin—

And suddenly, Alec was quite alright with things being _different_.

If it meant that Alec could someday be just as comfortable in his skin as Magnus Bane—

_Beautiful, ridiculous, perfect, Magnus Bane_ —

Then Alec welcomed the _differences_ with open arms.

Alec softly smiled to himself, before he took in a steady breath—

And stepped outside of his car.

********************************

Alec’s day so far had felt suspiciously normal for the most part. He’d noticed a few people staring a bit longer than usual, and there were whispers and murmurs happening around him in the hall, but nothing that felt directly malicious. He wondered if people really did think he was _joking_ , unable to decipher his relationship update with Magnus as his own way of finally coming out.

Alec was currently getting ready for lunch, when his archery coach stopped him dead in his tracks. “Alec Lightwood.”

“Yeah?” Alec tried to keep his voice steady, even as his nerves shot down his spine.

“Gay? _You_?” The archery coach crossed his arms over his chest. “Really?”

“Yeah. Yes.” Alec firmly nodded, before awkwardly clearing his throat. “Is that...a...problem...for you?”

The coach shook his head in return. “No. We all go through phases. Besides, that, uh, Magnus Bane kid? That’s your boyfriend, right?”

“Yes.”

“Have you seen what he was _wearing_ today?” The archery coach snorted with a laugh. “He basically dresses like a girl, Lightwood. I think he’s just got you a little confused. You’re probably not really _gay_. You probably just like Magnus because he’s _pretty_.”

“I quit.”

“What?”

“I quit the team.” Alec’s nerves went away, replaced with a quiet rage. “Good luck winning your next competition without me. Good luck winning _anything_ without me.”

“Lightwood, you can’t just quit—”

“I can and I did. You think you can just talk about _my boyfriend_ like that?” Alec scoffed, before taking a few steps away from his now ex-coach. “Also, clothes don’t have a _gender_. Try reading a book, maybe.”

“Lightwood—”

“I gotta’ go. Gotta’ go do some gay shit.” Alec offered the coach one last smile. “I’ll come get my gear after-school.”

Alec brushed past the still-shocked coach, as he headed down the hall to the cafeteria.

********************************************

“Magnus.” Alec was a few feet away from Magnus in the cafeteria line—

But Magnus wasn’t responding to his own name.

“Magnus.” Alec tried again, as he craned his neck to try to get a better view of his boyfriend—

Well, _maybe-boyfriend_ —

If Magnus still wanted anything to do with him.

“Magnus!” This time, Alec shouted Magnus’ name, his eyes now laser-focused on where Magnus stood in line.

There was still no response...

And Alec felt his heart sink into his stomach.

Was Magnus really done with him?

Was he really just going to ignore him like this?

How long could Magnus keep this up?

Before Alec had even realized it, he was already moving through the line, casually cutting ahead of other students...

Until he came face to face with Magnus Bane.

Alec didn’t even give Magnus a chance to say a word, as he hastily pulled Magnus towards his chest and bent to press his lips against Magnus’ own—

Right in the middle of the goddamn cafeteria.

Alec figured that if anyone was still confused about whether or not he _really_ liked guys, their confusion would’ve been permanently cured with the way he was kissing Magnus right now.

Like he never wanted to kiss anyone else ever again.

Like his life depended on it.

Magnus eventually broke away from the kiss...

But he offered Alec a bright, warm smile, afterwards. “Um. Hi?”

“Hi.” Alec bent down again, gently pressing a kiss to Magnus’ forehead. “Were you ignoring me? Because of last night?”

“Ignoring you?” Magnus couldn’t hide the puzzled nature of his tone—

And then he let out a small chuckle, as he swiftly removed the earbuds from his ears. “Sorry. Wasn’t trying to ignore you. Ragnor let me borrow these Bluetooth earbud thingies. He’s forcing me to listen to the worst album I’ve ever heard. It sounds like birds having sex while a man screams in the background. I don’t even know how Ragnor can listen to this—”

“I love you, Magnus.”

“I love you, too.” Magnus grinned back up at Alec. “And sorry about last night. You and Underhill...you two really know how to...stress me out. I don’t...handle stress that well.”

“You don’t handle stress _at all_.” Alec laughed, before resting his hands on Magnus’ waist. “You just _run_. You really should’ve been on our track team. They could’ve used someone like you.”

“Stop bullying me!” Magnus whined, as he turned back around in the cafeteria line. “This is _homophobia_.”

“Nope. Don’t think that’s right. Don’t think you’re using that word right _at all_.” Alec laughed again, this time playfully nestling his chin into Magnus’ hair. “And you’re taking this whole me-coming-out-of-the-closet-thing pretty well.”

Magnus openly shrugged. “It shouldn’t be such a big deal. It’s not like there’s anything different about you. You’re still the same guy whose lap I’ll be sitting in during lunch.”

“What if I don’t want you to sit in my lap while I’m eating?”

“It’s non-negotiable. Sorry. I have to sit in your lap. I don’t make the rules.” Magnus reached down for Alec’s hand, still at his waist. He gingerly intertwined his fingers with Alec’s—

And he could feel Alec squeeze onto his hand, just a little bit tighter.

“It’s going to be okay. I promise.” Magnus whispered his words back towards Alec. “And if it ever gets hard, I’ll be here for you, always, Alec. Okay? We can figure the next part out together.”

Alec knew that he couldn’t respond properly, not with the lump growing in his throat and the happy tears threatening the corners of his eyes—

Magnus Bane was all Alec had ever wanted.

Someone who just fully accepted him for _him_.

Instead of replying to Magnus with words, Alec chose to place a kiss on the side of Magnus’ neck, before they shifted towards the front of the line.

**************************************

Alec was hastily packing up his archery gear, so focused on the task at hand that he didn’t even hear Lydia stepping into the locker room...

He barely even noticed her presence until she was standing right beside him, peering into his locker, too. “Shit. Wow. I thought it was just a rumor. You’re really quitting the team?”

“Yeah. I think I’m just...done with it.” Alec softly closed his locker, his gear all piled up on the bench behind him. “And it means you’ll be seeing a lot less of me, so, that’s probably gonna’ make you happy.”

“Alec.” Lydia took in a deep inhale, before she sat down on the nearby bench. “Look...I don’t say this very often...because I don’t _need_ to say it very often...but I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. For everything. For the prom stuff. For the past few years...” Lydia grimaced, as she silently drummed her fingers along her thighs. “I...I was just being...I don’t know. I was hurt, so I thought it was okay for me to be so...selfish. And mean. And I took it out on people who didn’t really deserve it. Like you. Like Magnus...but then I saw you two in the cafeteria and...”

“And?” Alec turned towards Lydia, now resting his back against his locker.

“And...I realized...that even if you still thought you were _straight_...even if you and I had actually been together like that...it never would’ve been like it is, with you and him...you two are like...made for each other, I guess.” Lydia gave Alec a light smile. “And I’m sorry if I did anything that could’ve fucked that up for you.”

“Whatever. It’s all in the past now, right?” Alec nonchalantly grabbed for his gear. “Don’t worry about it, Lydia.”

“Wait. Just. Let me make it up to you?” Lydia stood to block Alec’s exit from the locker room. “Please. I know I’ve been the worst about all of this, but I really do care about you Alec, as a person...as a friend. And I want to make it up to Magnus, too. I’ve been kind of a bitch to him—”

“ _Kind of_?”

“Fine. I’ve been a super-mega-bitch to him. Is that better?” Lydia rolled her eyes, before she smiled again. “But come on. I think I know how to fix this. We can at least end our senior year on a good note, right?”

“...What do you have in mind?”

“You know, they really shouldn’t let the head of the prom committee run for prom court. It’s a total conflict of interest. I could just like...stuff the ballot box or something. I could just choose whoever I want to win...” Lydia purposely let her words trail off between them—

Until Alec’s eyes lit up with understanding. “Oh... _Oh._ ”

“Yep.” Lydia’s response was chipper and cheerful. “So, Alec Lightwood, besides yourself and me, who do you think should be Alicante High’s prom royalty this year?”

“I think I have some people in mind.” Alec nodded, before he gave Lydia a conspiratorial smile—

And she returned the expression, exactly the same.

*******************************************

“My baby, my baby, my baby!” Ragnor excitedly threw his arms around the hood of his Jeep. “Oh my God! My baby, I missed you so much! I love you so much, baby!”

Catarina, Magnus and Alec all stood in the towing place’s parking lot, as they watched Ragnor lovingly reunite with his ride.

“I think he loves that truck more than me.” Catarina frowned, as she kept her eyes on Ragnor.

“I _know_ he loves that truck more than you.” Magnus playfully nudged Catarina in her side, before he shouted over towards Ragnor. “Hey, Ragnor! You finally gonna’ hand over the keys to _my truck_ or what? Don’t make me get a lawyer involved!”

“You could never afford a lawyer, Magnus!” Ragnor shouted right back.

“I can _now_ , buddy! My boyfriend’s _loaded_!” Magnus emphatically pointed at Alec. “He’ll sue you! He’ll sue your ass right off of you!”

“Yeah, Alec? Is that right? You gonna’ sue my ass right off of me?” Ragnor called out towards Alec—

And Alec immediately waved his hands away from his face. “I’m not in this. I am _not_ involved in this.”

“Sorry, Alec. You’re pretty  _involved_ in itnow.” Catarina smirked over towards Alec. “And this is what it's gonna’ be like pretty much every day, so I hope you really do love my Magnus.”

“I do love him. More than anything.” Alec’s answer came out honest and unfiltered—

And he soon felt Magnus’ hands pushing against his chest. “Take me back to your place. Take me there right _now_.”

“What? Magnus, why—”

“Oh, gross. Magnus wants to get laid.” Ragnor pretended to gag, as he nodded over towards Catarina. “Come on, baby. Let’s drive out of here before we catch them going at it in Alec’s car.”

“Actually, I’m thinking we should stay, Ragnor. I think we definitely owe Magnus a cockblock or two—”

“It’s not a cockblocking if you don’t block any cocks. If you think I won’t get on my knees in this parking lot and blow Alec’s mind—”

“Magnus, you wouldn’t _dare_ —”

“Alec! We’ve been challenged!” Magnus turned back towards Alec. “Take off your pants! Let’s do this!”

“Oh my God. Why do I love you so much? Oh my God.” Alec grabbed for Magnus’ hand, as he began to lead him far, far away from Ragnor and Catarina. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day...” Catarina playfully stuck out her tongue, before waving Alec and Magnus goodbye. “See ya around forever!”

*****************************************

Alec and Magnus had barely made it into Alec’s house—

They were so preoccupied with their hands on each other.

Once they’d stepped over the threshold, Alec hoisted Magnus into his arms, encouraging Magnus to wrap his legs around Alec’s waist for support.

Alec then pressed Magnus’ back into the nearest wall, as he nuzzled into Magnus’ neck. “I kinda’ want to rip that mesh top right off of you.”

“Alec, _no_. This shirt costs me like $75.”

“Please?” Alec begged directly into Magnus’ ear. “Please, please, please?”

“Alec! You’re going to ruin all my clothes.” Magnus pouted down at Alec. “Do you really _need_ to rip my top off right now?”

“Yes.”

“ _Fine_.” Magnus gave Alec a quick kiss on the nose. “Just take me up to your room, first. I don’t want anyone in your family seeing me like this—”

“Too late.” Robert’s voice carried over to where Magnus and Alec were pressed against the wall.

“No! No! No! No! No!” Magnus hopped down from Alec’s waist, moving as far away as he could to the other side of the entryway. “We weren’t doing anything! Especially not in your home! We wouldn’t, ever, _ever_ , think of doing anything like _that_ here! Alec was just—”

“Magnus, it’s alright.” Robert slightly laughed, as he looked over at Magnus. “I’m well aware of how my son feels about you, and it’s natural to want to express that physically, as well.”

“I’M A VIRGIN.” Magnus blurted out the lie, as he tried to cover up his mesh shirt with his open vest. “We’re both virgins! I swear to God!”

Robert turned his attention towards his son. “You might want to take this somewhere a bit more private. Your mother will be home any minute.”

“Right. Sorry.” Alec looked momentarily embarrassed, as he reached for Magnus’ hand. “Come on, Magnus, let’s go—”

“Right, we should definitely go study! Studying is so important to us!” Magnus was already several steps up the staircase, as he nearly sprinted towards Alec’s bedroom.

***********************************

Magnus’ mesh tank top laid in tatters on Alec’s bedroom floor—

And Magnus now rested his head on Alec’s equally naked chest.

“So, how was finally-out-of-the-closet sex?” Magnus turned to look up at Alec. “Better? Worse?”

“Why would it have gotten worse?” Alec smirked down at Magnus in return. “Did it get _worse_ for you?”

“No, it was about the same. Which means it was _amazing_.” Magnus lightly kissed Alec’s chest. “It’s always amazing with you.”

“It’s always amazing with you, too.” Alec wrapped an arm around Magnus’ shoulders.

“Hey, did you really quit the archery team? I heard some girls talking about it in the hallway—”

“Yeah.”

“ _Why_?” Magnus poked a finger into Alec’s arm. “I thought you loved being on the team.”

“The coach said some super dumb shit to me.” Alec shrugged against the bed-sheets. “And I just kinda’ quit on the spot. It’s whatever. I can always get back into archery in college. I don’t have to finish out the season at Alicante. Besides, I’d rather spend more time with you, not stuck around—”

“A bunch of bow-fuckers?” Magnus suggested an ending to Alec’s sentence.

“Sure. Yeah. A bunch of bow-fuckers.” Alec’s laugh echoed through his chest. “How’d Underhill take it when you told him you were dropping out of the prom race?”

“Fuck! I forgot to tell Underhill that we’re dropping out of the prom race!”

“Magnus!”

“I’m sorry! I just forgot! I’ll text him right now!” Magnus groaned, as he reached for his phone—

And that’s when he remembered that he’d smashed his phone to pieces the night before.

_Goddammit._

“Alec, can I borrow your phone for a second?”

“Yeah, sure.” Alec handed his phone over to Magnus, and then gently kissed his shoulder. “Put Underhill on speakerphone. I wanna’ hear him freak out.”

“ _Alec_.” Magnus began to scroll through Alec’s contact list—

When a name flashed across the incoming call screen:

_Maryse Lightwood_

“Oh. It’s your mom.” Magnus handed the phone back to Alec, who answered it by the second ring.

“Mom?” Alec sounded nervous, as he moved to sit up straight in his bed.

“Your father tells me that we have a visitor this afternoon.” Maryse’s tone was thoroughly flat. “Would you mind sending him downstairs to greet me properly, please?”

“Okay, yeah, we can meet you downstairs in like five minutes—”

“No. Not you, son. Just Magnus. Just me.” Maryse sighed at the end of her words. “It’s time he and I have a chat, don’t you think? If he’s going to be sharing a bed under _my own roof_?”

“...Okay. He’ll be downstairs...soon.”

“Good.” Maryse hung up the phone with her final line—

And Alec grimaced, as he turned to face Magnus. “My mom wants to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Me.” Alec reached out for Magnus’ hand, taking it into his own. “Us.”

“Wait, should I be nervous or something?” Magnus shifted closer to Alec’s side. “I know your mom’s a little stuffy, but she’s not like...evil...or anything...is she?”

Alec didn’t respond.

“Alec, what the hell, is your mom _evil_ or what?”

“We should get you ready to go downstairs. You can borrow some of my clothes. If she sees you in that vest, without a shirt on underneath, she might have a heart attack.” Alec rolled out of his bed, as he headed for his closet.

“Alec, am I...am I going to _survive_? Is your mom going to _kill_ me? Am I ever going to make it back upstairs?” Magnus kept his questions quiet, while he followed Alec to the closet.

Alec didn’t answer any of Magnus’ questions, as he silently sorted through his own shirts and jeans—

And Magnus, for the first time in his life, began to inwardly, somberly pray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — #TeamAlec ♥♥♥ 
> 
> — SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR SO LONG AHHH I got caught up working on deadlines for my original fiction, but I should be back to updating my long-fics more regularly now yeesh
> 
> — this fic probably only has one or two more chapters left y'all :( but they're gonna' be filled with fluff/happiness (okay well a lil bit of angst at first BUT THE REST WILL BE SO FLUFFY YOU WILL DIE PROBABLY) ♥♥♥


	23. We Promise We'll Knock Next Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus was now checking his messages on his newly bought phone, his face scrunching up with frustration. “Where the hell are Ragnor and Catarina? They were supposed to be here by now.”
> 
> “So, that means we still have time, right?” Alec pulled Magnus back in by the waist. “How far does Ragnor live from campus again?”
> 
> “Alec, I swear to God—” Magnus’ words were interrupted by Alec’s tender kiss—
> 
> And Magnus found himself kissing Alec right back, with the couple unable to resist each other for even five whole minutes.
> 
> Soon enough, Alec was deepening the kiss, as he pressed Magnus’ back against the closet wall. “You’re so perfect...how are you so perfect...”
> 
> “Alec...” Magnus moaned the name, his attention going towards Alec’s fingers creeping down the inside of his thighs. “Yes...Alec—”
> 
> “Surprise, assholes!” Catarina emphatically threw open the supply closet door, a wide grin already spread across her face. “Your cocks have been fucking blocked!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come hang out with me on [Tumblr](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/OctoberDecemb12)! ♥♥♥

“Magnus Bane...May I call you Magnus?” Maryse sat across from Magnus at her living room table. “Is that what Alec calls you, too?”

“Yeah...yes...everyone just...calls me Magnus...Ms...uh...Miss...” Magnus struggled to hide his nerves, as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Ms. Lightwood! Ms. Lightwood.”

“Well...I’m not sure how far along you and Alec are in your...relationship...but I can clearly see that he’s already letting you borrow his clothes...” Maryse deeply sighed, as she looked Magnus up and down. “Or are your parents also fond of designer polos?”

“Sorry! Sorry. It’s just...uh...my top got...ruined.” Magnus could feel his cheeks flushing a deep red, his mind unfortunately replaying images of _how_ , exactly, his shirt had been _ruined_ by Alec Lightwood. “I’ll put it back in his closet before I leave! I promise.”

“Oh, I think we’re both long past putting things _back in closets_ , now, aren’t we?” Maryse’s fingers quietly tapped alongside the table. “Magnus...Do you have any idea what kind of future I envisioned for my son?”

“No.” Magnus’ answer was honest, as he firmly shook his head.

“I wanted Alec to have _everything_. Everything I never had for myself. I wanted him to have the best education, the best clothes, the best cars...I imagined him one day running for his father’s same position and _winning_. I imagined him shaking the hands of presidents and senators...and one day, meeting a beautiful wife who’d give me beautiful grandchildren.” Maryse subtly nodded along with her own words. “And so, I’ve spent nearly every waking moment of my life, attempting to make Alec’s life... _perfect_. Every pretentious gallery opening, every disgusting conversation with an over-privileged asshole...I endured and I endured and I _endured_ everything for Alec. For Alec’s future. For Alec’s present.”

Maryse leaned towards Magnus, a smirk threatening to take over her expression. “And you...Magnus Bane...You’re going to be the ruin of all of my hard work, aren’t you?”

“I...um...I...” Magnus stuttered, as he leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know what...um...”

Maryse broke into a wild laughter, the effects of it causing even her shoulders to shake. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? You can give your child the entire world, and they’ll still throw it all away...just to be happy. Just to be...with someone like you, Magnus.”

“Someone like me?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve done my research on you, Magnus Bane. Your guardian, Asmodeus, has truly made a name for himself as a proficient criminal.” Maryse folded her arms against the table. “Is that all you want from my son? Money? Connections? You can name any price you want. You can name _anything_ you want, and I’ll get it for you, Magnus. Of course, the only condition would be that you leave my son alone—”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.” Magnus lightly coughed, his nerves still threatening to ruin his ability to speak. “I...I love Alec. And I know that I don’t...fit...into your world, okay? You and other people _just like you_ have made that painfully clear to me, my entire life. But...it doesn’t matter that I don’t fit into your world. Because I fit with Alec...and he fits with me...and I think that’s all that matters.”

“Hmm. You’re a brave one, aren’t you? You know, no one’s spoken to me that honestly in _years_.” Maryse offered Magnus a smile, as she rested a fist underneath her chin. “I can see why my son likes you, then.”

“I’m not brave.” Magnus openly grimaced. “I’m just...I’m just...I’m not really anything—”

“Magnus.” Maryse reached over towards Magnus, resting a light hand on his shoulder. “You should be proud of yourself. I think you’ve managed to do the one thing I couldn’t, despite my years and years of trying...”

“What...What did I do?” Magnus’ anxiety leaked into his question, his hands nearly shaking with the emotion, too.

“I think...I think you’ve made my son...very _happy_.” Maryse slightly tilted her head to the side. “And while I may struggle to accept Alec’s _lifestyle choice_...I’m...glad...that he’s seemingly found happiness with you. It’s really all I’ve ever wanted for him. I just didn’t know how to...give that to him...I didn't know if he could ever really...have it...in this lifetime..." 

Maryse moved her hand away from Magnus, as she wordlessly began to blink back her own tears—

And Magnus was quick to pull out a rainbow-colored handkerchief from his vest pocket.

He silently dabbed away at Maryse’s tears, and she responded with a low chuckle. “And why, Magnus Bane, do you carry around such a colorful handkerchief?”

“I do magic. I’m a magician.” Magnus answered her question, while he tucked away his handkerchief. He then stared over at Maryse’s face, squinting at her now slightly smudged makeup. “I’m also pretty good with fixing eyeliner...if you’d ever...want my help with that or anything...”

“Oh, please. Lead the way.” Maryse motioned towards a nearby bathroom. “Cosmetics have never been my strong suit. I’ve always been much better with the katana.”

“What? You know how to use a _katana_?” Magnus’ mouth hung open with surprise. “That’s cool as hell!”

“I’ll let you hold one of my katanas, if you show me how you get that sparkle under your eyes.”

“Deal!” Magnus excitedly rushed towards the bathroom, already searching through its several drawers. “Okay, so, where do you keep your makeup brushes? Also, are you going to let me _swing_ the katana or just hold it? You know what? Holding it is good enough! But don’t tell Alec! He’ll probably freak out about me cutting myself. Oh my God. What happens if I cut myself—”

“Bottom left drawer.” Maryse only answered one of Magnus’ several questions—

And a content smile remained upon her face, as she quietly watched Magnus gather together exactly what he needed.

********************************************

“I love you.” Alec’s mouth was gently pressed against Magnus’ neck. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Magnus softly pushed Alec away from him. “But if you keep kissing me like that, you’re going to end up with glitter all over your suit.”

Alec and Magnus were back in their old, familiar closet—

This time, with them both dressed in their best tuxedos. Alec was wearing a fitted burgundy tuxedo for the Prom Night occasion, and Magnus was wearing a deep purple tuxedo that seemed to sparkle and glisten each time the light hit its fabric.

Magnus was now checking his messages on his newly bought phone, his face scrunching up with frustration. “Where the hell are Ragnor and Catarina? They were supposed to be here by now.”

“So, that means we still have time, right?” Alec pulled Magnus back in by the waist. “How far does Ragnor live from campus again?”

“Alec, I swear to God—” Magnus’ words were interrupted by Alec’s tender kiss—

And Magnus found himself kissing Alec right back, with the couple unable to resist each other for even five whole minutes.

Soon enough, Alec was deepening the kiss, as he pressed Magnus’ back against the closet wall. “You’re so perfect...how are you so perfect...”

“Alec...” Magnus moaned the name, his attention going towards Alec’s fingers creeping down the inside of his thighs. “Yes...Alec—”

“Surprise, assholes!” Catarina emphatically threw open the supply closet door, a wide grin already spread across her face. “Your cocks have been fucking blocked!”

“Fuck yeah! We finally did it, baby!” Ragnor stood behind Catarina, his fists raised in victory. “I told you if we said we were running late and then waited, like, five minutes, they’d try to have sex with each other.”

“Oh my God! Catarina! What if we were already _naked_? Couldn’t you have at least _knocked_?” Magnus groaned, as he moved away from the closet wall.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. We promise we’ll knock next time.” Catarina waved back towards the parking lot. “Come on! Let’s get inside. I want to at least _try_ to get a cup of punch before somebody spikes it.”

“It’s probably already spiked. Sorry, baby.” Ragnor turned back towards the parking lot, already headed for the school’s main building. “Hopefully nobody fucked with the pretzels, though.”

“If somebody fucked with the pretzels, I’m going to _scream_.” Catarina nearly growled, while she walked beside Ragnor. “Come on, lovebirds! Hurry up!”

“I’m sorry!” Magnus hurriedly whispered to Alec. “I’m sorry my friends are so crazy. I’m sorry they—”

“Shh. I love your crazy friends, Magnus...” Alec beamed down at Magnus. “Just like I love how you’re not wearing your contacts tonight. Your eyes are...just...everything about you is just...”

Alec bent to kiss Magnus again, and Magnus smiled into their shared kiss—

Before they heard Catarina loudly coughing from across the parking lot. “Are you two _seriously_ starting back up again?!”

“Right! Sorry! We’re coming!” Magnus suddenly grabbed onto Alec’s hand—

And they both ran, laughing, across the parking lot’s pavement.

************************************************

“Are you sure you’re gay?” Raj tightly held a cup of punch in his hand, as he swayed along to the music blaring over the auditorium’s speakers.

“Yeah, Raj. I’m pretty sure I’m gay.” Alec slightly chuckled, before taking a sip from his own cup. “But if you need a second opinion, you can go ask my boyfriend over there.”

“But...how...you’re so...tall...” Raj’s confusion lined his tone, as he hummed under his breath. “How can you be _that tall_ and be _gay_?”

“Raj, wait. Do you think that I can’t be gay...because I’m...because I’m tall?”

“Yeah, man. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Raj, that’s...that’s so...” Alec could barely believe what he was hearing—

But before he could respond to Raj’s nonsense, Raj was being pulled away by Lydia, who happened to be his date for the evening.

“Come on, ghost boy. Let’s not bother Alicante High’s ex-best archer.” Lydia grinned over at Alec.

“Ex-best? Is somebody else beating my stats?”

“Yeah. _Me_.” Lydia beamed, before playfully offering Alec a wink. “Turns out, it’s way easier to practice when you’re not standing out on the field _blocking out the sun_.”

“Ha! It’s funny ‘cause you’re so fucking tall!” Raj chimed in, while he gave Lydia’s waist a spin out onto the dance floor. “Talk to you later, bro!”

Alec chuckled to himself, as he watched Raj and Lydia dance in time with the music, which seemed to be getting progressively louder and louder...

They looked so _happy_.

She looked so _happy._

Alec’s eyes then scanned over the entire auditorium, as he looked for his own ray of Magnus-y sunshine—

And he spotted Magnus standing across the room, with Underhill by his side.

************************************************************

“I’m sorry, Magnus. About the whole car fight. And you having to walk home—”

“It’s okay, Underhill.” Magnus shrugged, before taking a bite out of his pretzel. “I mean, it was total bullshit, but...it’s over now...so...yeah.”

“So...You and Alec Lightwood, huh?” Underhill leaned a bit closer to Magnus, as he peered out onto the dance floor. “That’s like...100%?”

“It’s 100%. I’m gonna’ have his babies and _everything_.” Magnus chewed through another bite. “Please don’t tell me you were going to try to steal me away from him tonight.”

“Nah. I can tell when I’ve lost a game. Unfortunately.” Underhill cracked a smile over at Magnus. “You know what kinda’ sucks, though? I bet if I’d asked you out before Lightwood ever got the chance, it’d be me and you tonight, right?”

“Maybe...probably...” Magnus sighed. “I don’t want to sound like an asshole...but...I’m happy it’s not us tonight, Underhill. Even though I’m sure you would’ve been a chill boyfriend.”

“Oh, I would’ve been the _chillest._ I would’ve taken you wherever you wanted to go for summer vacation. I probably would’ve given you a $1000 gift card to Sephora for your birthday. And _physically_? I would’ve blown your fucking mind, Magnus Bane—”

“Mind if I cut in?” Alec was already moving his hands to Magnus’ waist. “Not to be rude or anything. I’d just like to dance with my _date._ ”

“No worries, Lightwood. He’s all yours, apparently.” Underhill grinned up at Alec, before he walked away from the scene. “Talk to you later, Magnus.”

“What was that about?” Alec began to rhythmically sway their bodies along with the music.

“Underhill was just telling me that if he was my boyfriend he’d buy me a $1000 gift card to Sephora.” Magnus answered honestly, as he laid his head on Alec’s chest.

“I can get you a $1000 gift card to Sephora, too...” Alec responded with an obvious pout in his voice. “Is that something you want?”

“Nope.” Magnus then turned his face up towards Alec. “All I want is _you_ , Alec Lightwood.”

“Oh, thank God. I do _not_ have my wallet on me right now.” Alec chuckled down at Magnus, before moving to press a kiss against his lips—

“Attention, Alicante High! It’s time to announce Prom Royalty 2018!” Lydia was standing at the podium, with an eager expression on her face. “Listen up, losers! I mean...sorry...listen up...my fellow...equal...school citizens...”

“She’s still learning to be nice, isn’t she?” Magnus murmured towards Alec.

“She’s really trying her best tonight, too.” Alec murmured right back.

“Okay, drumroll, please!” Lydia playfully motioned as if she was hitting against the podium’s wood, before she pulled a beige envelope out of the podium’s side drawer. “And the final votes are in! Alicante High’s Prom King and Prom Queen of 2018 are...Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss!”

“What the fuck?” Ragnor and Catarina asked the question in perfect unison, even as the auditorium erupted in applause.

“What the fuck?” Magnus chimed in with their questioning, as he gave Alec a puzzled look. “They weren’t even in the running. How’d they win this thing?”

“Dunno. Maybe it’s because your boyfriend has an in with the head of the prom committee?” Alec nonchalantly shrugged back at Magnus.

“ _You_ did this?” Magnus looked up at Alec in complete awe. “Wait. You got _Lydia_ to do this?”

“I told you she wasn’t an evil dragon.”

“Whatever, even evil dragons have their off-days.” Magnus rolled his eyes, before giving Alec a bright smile. “That was really sweet of you, though.”

“It was sweet of me, wasn’t it?” Alec reached for Magnus’ hand, gripping onto it with a tight squeeze. “Even better than a gift card to Sephora, right?”

Magnus openly laughed in response. “No, sweetie. Nothing’s better than a gift card to Sephora. But this is...pretty close.”

“Pretty close is close enough—” Alec once again dipped his head in an attempt to kiss Magnus—

But the moment was ruined, yet again, by Lydia at the podium. “Hey! What the hell? These prom crowns are _totally plastic_! The guy who sold these to us said there were bits of gold in them! Raj, what was that guy’s name again? Suedomsa? That guy owes Alicante over $500! He totally ripped us off!”

“Time to go. Alec, it’s time to go.”

“Magnus, what—”

“My dad ripped off the prom committee.” Magnus hastily patted Alec on his shoulder. “We need to go before they figure out his fake name is just Asmodeus spelled _backwards_.”

“Oh God. Oh my God—”

“Alec, let’s go!” Magnus began to hastily make his way towards the nearest exit, with Alec following closely behind him...

And as they made their way through the school’s hallways, through the double front doors, down the stone steps and all the way across the parking lot...

Alec had a distinct feeling that he’d be willing to follow Magnus to anywhere in the freakin’ world.

**********************************************

“That was insane.” Ragnor sat next to Catarina, with them both wearing their respective plastic crowns on their heads. “So, you really rigged the votes for us to win?”

“Yeah.” Alec responded from a few feet away. He was lying on his back next to Magnus, as they both stared up at the park’s night sky. “Cheating at life isn’t really that complicated.”

“Spoken like a true rich kid.” Catarina laughed, before leaning her head against Ragnor’s shoulder. “Thanks, though. It was pretty cool to win something without even really _trying_.”

“You’re welcome.” Alec turned, until he was facing Catarina and Ragnor both. “Hey, what are you guys gonna’ do after all this? Like, once we graduate?”

“Dunno.” Catarina shrugged, while letting out a wistful sigh. “Maybe travel the world. Maybe steal from the rich and give to the poor...”

“Ooh, yeah, Robin Hood-ing sounds super fun.” Magnus finally joined the rest of the conversation. “Or maybe we could just like move to Europe and see what happens?”

“Uh...you guys have been applying to colleges, right?” Alec’s voice was tinged with a deep concern. “Please tell me that you guys have been applying to colleges.”

“Relax, Lightwood! Of course, we’ve been applying to colleges. That shit’s just so boring that I don’t even want to _think_ about it.” Catarina rose away from the grass below. “You guys want to go bowling? Last call before we’re technically, like, high school grads.”

“Why not? Maybe I’ll break my neck and get to wear a cool brace for my freshman year.” Ragnor stood up beside Catarina, pulling her closer to his side.

“You in, Bane? Are _you_ in, Lightwood?” Catarina pointed an encouraging finger at each of them—

And Alec quickly hopped to his feet, bringing Magnus right along with him.

“You’re on, Loss.” Alec started to take off his tuxedo jacket. “The first time you beat us was pure luck—”

“ _Luck_? You’re talking a lot of trash for someone who’s only going bowling for a _second time_.” Catarina moved until she was directly in Alec’s face. “You ready to eat mud, Lightwood?”

“Catarina, baby! Save that energy for the game.” Ragnor nodded towards their usual spot for bowling, before he began to walk towards it, too. “Come on. Best 2 out of 3?”

“You’re on.” Alec nodded with a serious air, as he caught up to Ragnor’s pace. “Magnus, you’re coming, right?”

“Yeah, I’m right behind you guys...” Magnus quietly watched Ragnor, Alec and Catarina move towards the bowling spot as a group—

And he felt like he was going to _cry_ tears of pure, unadulterated joy.

Magnus had never felt like his life was missing anything. He was more than happy with Ragnor and Catarina by his side, always keeping him company, always making him feel warm and welcome...

But right in this moment, it was so stupidly obvious to Magnus that Alec Lightwood _belonged_ right here, too.

In this park.

In Magnus’ world.

And Magnus couldn’t imagine going back to living without Alec Lightwood by his side.

“Magnus! Are you alright?” Alec called back towards Magnus, snapping Magnus out of his inward thoughts.

“Yeah, I’m...I’m perfect,” Magnus replied, while wiping away his hidden tears, and heading over to start the game with his best friends and the love of his life.

********************************************************************************************************************

**ALICANTE HIGH NEWSLETTER 2028**

**SPOTLIGHT ON THE CLASS OF 2018: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?**

**Magnus Lightwood-Bane:** Owner and operator of the Feline Vet Clinic in downtown Idris, Magnus has made his mark on the city with his fun sense of fashion and his big heart for the smallest of kitties!

**Alec Lightwood-Bane** : Alec’s history as an LGBT+ activist is definitely serving him well as a candidate for the upcoming senate election! Alec is committed to progress for the LGBT+ community and we stan him for it!

**Lydia Branwell:** Alicante High’s own Archery Coach! We love Mrs. Branwell on the field and we can’t wait to see her beat the Spartans next Friday! GO TEAM!

**Raj Branwell:** Raj could not be reached for comment (he was last seen eating a sandwich underneath the bleachers).

**Catarina Fell:** Catarina’s penchant for social media has served her well, since she now works as the VP for Stele! Catarina’s the Queen of Curation and we all love following along with her posts and her adventures with her Rockstar husband.

**Ragnor Fell:** You may know Ragnor as the lead singer of the death metal band, “Guts On The Ceiling”, but we know him as one of Alicante High’s own graduates! Ragnor is currently touring Iceland and rockin’ out stadiums around the globe.

**Underhill Underhill:** Underhill is currently the CEO of A Helping Hand, a non-profit dedicated to helping children and young adults process the loss of a loved one. If you’d like to help volunteer with Underhill’s important cause, be sure to sign up at the bulletin board during lunch! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilers:
> 
> — there's nothing left to spoil :') THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS UNTIL THE END ^_^ I LOVE YOU ALL AND I'LL SEE YOU @ THE NEXT LONG-FIC YASSSSS
> 
> — ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Malec Forever ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
> 
> — P.S. I'M FUCKING CRYING BECAUSE EVERYONE GREW UP L O L WRITING THE "WHERE ARE THEY NOW" FUCKING TOOK ME OUT I'M SO HAPPY FOR THEM ALL

**Author's Note:**

> — [Hang out with Me on Tumblr! ♥](https://octoberdecemberwrites.tumblr.com)


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